The Bradford pear is the ultimate Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde story. In spring, the non-native tree, originally from Asia, produces gorgeous white flowers, and in the fall, vibrantly coloured leaves.

When this pear tree was just a wee sapling, George III was King and Mozart was all the rage. Today, 233 years after it was planted, it's still (mostly) persevering.

'The Bradford Pear seemed like an ideal choice: a picturesque tree with a lollipop form, early white blooms, fast-growing, inexpensive, and able to thrive in polluted and compacted soil.