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Espalier Training

Pears can be grown as a standard fruit tree and are also ideal for espaliers. Any strict pruning regime that trains branches horizontally such as espaliering is itself a dwarfing technique. So, contrary to some "authorities" trees with full vigour, i.e. standard* sized trees rather than dwarf trees, are ideal subjects for espalier training. Espalied dwarf trees will generally take longer to fill out a given trellis area, but are satisfactory for smaller sized trellises.

*trees that grow to full size, i.e. depending on pruning and conditions around 4 to 5 metres.

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  • Belle Lucrative Pear

    Belle Lucrative Pear

    Another wonderfully historic pear variety about which much more is written in our reference than there is space for here. Belle Lucrative is of Flemish origin. In 1831 it was growing in the London Horticultural Society’s gardens at Chiswick,...

  • Beurre Bosc Pear Beurre Bosc Pear

    Beurre Bosc Pear

    A seedling pear found by Dr Van Mons, growing in the garden of M. Swates at Linkebeeke, France. It was named after M. Bosc, the Director of the Jardin des Plantes, at Paris. Fruits have yellowish, tender, juicy flesh with a perfumed flavour. A...

  • Beurre Diel Pear (semi-dwarf)

    Beurre Diel Pear (semi-dwarf)

    A chance seedling found in 1805, by M. Meuris the head gardener for Dr. Van Mons at the Chateau of Perck near Vilvoorde. Van Mons named it in honour of his friend Dr. Augustus Frederick Adrien Diel, a distinguished German pomologist. Lemon-yellow, rough,...

  • Beurre Easter Pear (semi-dwarf)

    Beurre Easter Pear (semi-dwarf)

    Seems to have originated in the gardens of the Capucin Monastery at Louvain, Belgium, where there was recorded, about 1823, an old pear tree known to the monks as the Pastorale de Louvain. As the variety attracted attention it became widely...

  • Beurre Hardy Pear (semi-dwarf)

    Beurre Hardy Pear (semi-dwarf)

    A French pear raised in about 1820 by M. Bonnet, Boulonge-sur-Mer, France. Acquired by M. Jean-Laurent Jamin, a nurseryman near Paris, who named it in honour of M. Hardy Director and Professor of Arboriculture at the Garden of Luxembourg. It was...

  • Beurre Superfin Pear (semi-dwarf)

    Beurre Superfin Pear (semi-dwarf)

    Raised in 1837 by M. Goubalt, Angers, France. First fruited in 1844. Introduced to america about 1850. Fruits have yellowish white, very melting, sweet flesh with a delicious perfumed flavour. Pollination Group: Buerre Bosc, Williams, Comice,...

  • Conference Pear

    Conference Pear

    Common commercial variety in UK, has good disease resistance and is partially self-fertile. Raised by pomologist Thomas Francis Rivers at Rivers Nursery Sawbridgeworth. Exhibited at the National British Pear Conference after which it was named. Awarded a...

  • Conference Pear (semi-dwarf)

    Conference Pear (semi-dwarf)

    Common commercial variety in UK, has good disease resistance and is partially self-fertile. Raised by pomologist Thomas Francis Rivers at Rivers Nursery Sawbridgeworth. Exhibited at the National British Pear Conference after which it was named. Awarded a...

  • Corella Pear (Forelle) Corella Pear (Forelle)

    Corella Pear (Forelle)

    Also called Forelle. Forelle is the German word for trout and the colouration, and with imagination the shape, of a ripe Corella pear is reminiscent of a trout at spawning. Small to medium in size. Corella pears are great eaten fresh or in a salad...

  • Doyenne Du Comice Pear

    Doyenne Du Comice Pear

    One of the finest flavoured pears, from trial beds in the Comice Horticole, Angers, Department of Maine-et-Loire, France in mid-19th century. First fruited in 1849. Introduced to England in 1858 by Sir Thomas Dyke Acland. Skin smooth with russet...

  • Doyenne Du Comice Pear (semi-dwarf)

    Doyenne Du Comice Pear (semi-dwarf)

    One of the finest flavoured pears, from trial beds in the Comice Horticole, Angers, Department of Maine-et-Loire, France in mid-19th century. First fruited in 1849. Introduced to England in 1858 by Sir Thomas Dyke Acland. Skin smooth with russet...

  • Durondeau Pear (semi-dwarf)

    Durondeau Pear (semi-dwarf)

      A highly regarded pear with tender, melting flesh in a red fruit. Originated in Belgium in the early 19th century. Late season, partially self-fertile. Pollination: cross-pollinate with another European Pear, partly self-fertile Size: to approx...

  • Faccia Rosa Pear

    Faccia Rosa Pear

    Originating in Sicily, the name means Red Face. Cocktail size yellowy green fruit with red cheek. Soft, sweet and juicy. Pollination Group: Lemon Bergamot, Corella are ideal or any other European pear tree Size: Up to 5 metres when mature...

  • Flemish Beauty Pear (semi-dwarf)

    Flemish Beauty Pear (semi-dwarf)

    Early 19th century variety that was once a leading commercial variety in eastern regions of America. The parent tree is thought to have been a wilding found in a wooded area near Alost, East Flanders, Belgium about 1800. It has many synonyms, but the...

  • Gin Perry Pear

    Gin Perry Pear

    Orange-red over yellow coloured fruit. Vintage quality. Highly disease resistant. May be biennial. Fruit can be stored up to five weeks before milling. Medium sharp variety. Pollination Group: Buerre Bosc, Williams, Comice, Winter Nellis,...

  • Glou Morceau European Pear (semi-dwarf) Glou Morceau European Pear (semi-dwarf)

    Glou Morceau European Pear (semi-dwarf)

    Pyrus communis 'Glou Morceau' is a very old Belgian variety raised at Mons from seed around 1750. The name translates as dainty or delicious morsel with good reason. Fruit has russetted, tender pale greenish-yellow skin (3), flesh tinged yellow, tender,...

  • Green Horse Perry Pear

    Green Horse Perry Pear

    Large, rounded fruit also suitable for preserving.  High acid/low tannin. Medium sharp variety. Pollination Group: Conference, Buerre Hardy, Josephine, Packham’s, Nijisseki, Clapp’s Favourite, Chojuro, Kosui.

  • Henry's Red Longdon Perry Pear

    Henry's Red Longdon Perry Pear

    Red Longdon is thought to have originated in the Forest of Dean in the Wye Valley where it was propagated by local farmers as early as the 1400s. The fruit is turbinate or pyriform, the skin is green or yellowish green with a strong red or red-orange...

  • Jargonelle European Pear

    Jargonelle European Pear

    Pyrus communis 'Jargonelle' is a patriarch among pears, dating from about 1620's. It is an early ripener harvesting in late summer. Brownish skin with a red flush on the sunny face, flesh melting with a sweet musky flavour. Like most early...

  • Josephine de Malines Pear

    Josephine de Malines Pear

    Highly recommended for the home garden. Originated around 1830 at Mechlin (Malines), Belgium and named in honour of the wife of the breeder, pomologist Major Espére. Good polleniser for other pears, pale green-shaded yellow, lightly russet skin...

  • Josephine de Malines Pear (semi-dwarf)

    Josephine de Malines Pear (semi-dwarf)

    Highly recommended for the home garden. Originated around 1830 at Mechlin (Malines), Belgium and named in honour of the wife of the breeder, pomologist Major Espére. Good polleniser for other pears, pale green-shaded yellow, lightly russet skin...

  • Moorcroft Perry Pear

    Moorcroft Perry Pear

    Colourful synonyms for this variety include Stinking Bishop, Malvern Pear and Choke Pear. From wild pears, originating in the Forest of Dean in the Wye Valley, this particular variety of pear was grafted by local farmers as early as the 1400s...

  • Packham's Triumph Pear

    Packham's Triumph Pear

    An Australian variety by Charles Packham in 1896. Slow-ripening sweet, delicious, white and juicy flesh and turning a paler green when ripe. Can be eaten when firm or soft when fully ripe. Most widely grown pear in Australia. Pollination...

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