The green and rolling countryside of Worcestershire, England, is home to the cider apple orchards which surround the gardens of Pear Tree Cottage. They enjoy a sunny south westerly aspect with sweeping views across to Martley Hillside, Woodbury and Abberley clock tower. The Teme Valley lies just over the hill and, not far away, is the Herefordshire border. Although our climate is temperate, our seasons are often uncertain and always a challenge to a gardener! This began in 2010 & follows the weekly ups and downs of garden work chronicling both successes and failures but, above all, demonstrates the fun enjoyed by three people who regularly garden in all weathers

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26 February 2017

Pear Pruning

..and afterwards
A Williams pear before..
A nondescript dull and drizzly day meant pear pruning. Our two dessert pear trees are quite old and it was more restoration and pruning for shape rather than high fruit yields. The straight unnatural shoots were pruned out leaving the more mature and natural branches. Having done the apples last week and struggled with the snagging tangly cuttings, we knew it was going to be even worse this week! Tangly fruit wood is always such a pain to clear up! Tidying up took far longer than the actual pruning - not just because our wonderful new path is out of bounds until the grass seed germinates and puts on a whole lot of growth but, because pear cuttings are notorious for getting snagged on anything and everything! It was a battle from the start but, we did it! The clematis on each tree was also pruned and both are held in place by strategically placed rusty chain lengths. So much more in keeping than string or wire!

Conference pear

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