A tree for all seasons
Even though pears are one of the longest-enjoyed fruits, they can tend to divide people. Some people object to their grainy texture, though they often enjoy it more when the fruit is cooked, while others love them raw or cooked. Apparently, Shakespeare was not fond of them, describing them as “absurd” and “unpleasant”, while Louis XIV, the French “Sun King”, delighted in them.
The long-lived trees themselves, whether ornamental or fruiting, are beautiful, too, with their seasonal changes: gorgeous white blossom in spring, flashy autumn foliage and of course the softfleshed
