As Summer Deepens, Small Green Pears Begin To Form, And You Start Noticing Them Like Little Promises Among The Leaves.

Spring Blossom With A Fresh, Bright Feel

Pear blossom has a clean, luminous quality — clusters of white flowers that open as the garden is just beginning to stir. It’s not showy in a loud way, but it’s generous, and it looks beautiful against a bright blue spring sky. In a UK garden, that moment matters: it lifts the whole space and brings pollinators in early. Even if you’re growing pear primarily for fruit, the blossom is a real bonus — a gentle, hopeful start to the season that makes the tree feel like part of the garden’s rhythm.

  • Spring Blossom With A Fresh, Bright Feel
  • A Tree With Shape, Shade, And Calm Structure
  • Fruit That Ripens Into Proper Autumn Reward

Pear Trees at a Glance:

Common name: Pear tree.

Latin name: Pyrus communis (most garden pears).

Size in UK gardens: Often 3–5m depending on variety and rootstock; can be kept smaller with pruning or trained as an espalier.

Best position: Full sun for best blossom and fruiting, in a reasonably sheltered spot.

Soil: Fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil; dislikes prolonged waterlogging.

Flowering time: Spring.

Fragrance: Blossom is usually lightly scented, but subtle.

Hardiness: Very hardy in UK gardens; blossom may be affected by late frosts in exposed sites.

Care level: Moderate – straightforward with good soil, occasional pruning, and consistent watering while establishing.
Our Team!

Grown Locally By Us.

Rather than travelling halfway across Europe, our mimosa trees are grown on site by the Simpson’s team. They’re toughened to local conditions, properly potted, and ready to get growing the moment you plant them.

Pear Tree Care at a Glance:

Planting time: As container-grown plants, pear trees can be planted in most months when the soil isn’t frozen or waterlogged; spring and autumn are usually easiest.

Watering: Water regularly in the first 1–2 years and during dry spells; steady moisture helps establishment and fruit development.

Feeding: Mulch in spring and use a balanced feed if growth is weak; a healthy soil usually does most of the work.

Pruning: Prune in winter for shape and fruiting spurs; summer pruning is useful for trained forms like espaliers.

Winter: Very hardy; protect blossom rather than the tree if late frosts are common in your spot.

Varieties We Usually Stock

Availability is always changing, so please check with us if you have a particular variety in mind.

Acer campestre

Acer campestre 'Elsrijk'

Acer campestre 'Queen Elizabeth'

Acer campestre 'Carnival'

Frequently Asked Questions

Not always, but it often helps. Some pear varieties are partly self-fertile, meaning they can produce fruit on their own, but crops are usually heavier and more reliable when there’s a compatible pollination partner nearby. That partner doesn’t have to be in your garden — it could be a neighbour’s pear tree, or even a local tree in the area — but having two suitable varieties is the surest route to good fruit set. If you’re limited on space, an espalier or a smaller rootstock can make growing two trees much more realistic.

Yes, as long as you choose the right size and style. Rootstock matters: some pears grow into large trees, while others are naturally more compact. Training is also a brilliant option — an espalier along a sunny fence gives you fruit without taking up much ground space, and it looks very smart too. Even a small garden can often accommodate a pear if it’s positioned thoughtfully, given full sun, and kept pruned to a manageable shape.

Many pears ripen from late summer into autumn, but unlike apples, they’re often best picked slightly firm and allowed to finish ripening indoors. A good clue is the “lift test”: if a pear comes away easily when you lift and twist it gently, it’s usually ready to pick. If you wait until it’s soft on the tree, it can become mealy or drop before it’s at its best. Once picked, store them somewhere cool and then bring a few into a warmer room to ripen to that sweet, buttery stage.

Keep it simple: aim for a clean structure with good airflow and plenty of light. In winter, remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, and shorten overly long growth to keep the tree balanced. Pears fruit on spurs, so you’re encouraging a framework that builds those spurs over time rather than constantly cutting everything back hard. If you have an espalier, a little summer pruning helps keep it neat and encourages fruiting spurs along the branches. A steady, gentle approach each year is far better than big, occasional chops.