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Pear Tree 'Onward' – Premium Fruit Tree

A top-tier dessert pear, Pyrus communis 'Onward' is renowned for its excellent flavour, reliability, and frost resistance. This mid-sized tree produces medium-sized pears with a light green skin, turning golden yellow with some pink blush or russeting. The creamy white flesh is buttery, sweet, and juicy, making it one of the best pears for home gardens.

🌟 Awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit, this variety is a reliable cropper and an excellent choice for UK gardens.


🍏 Key Features

Delicious, Sweet & Juicy Pears—Perfect for eating fresh, desserts & preserves
Highly Resistant to Frost—A great choice for cooler climates
Reliable Cropper—Consistently produces a good yield
Compact & Garden-Friendly—Ideal for small gardens & orchards
Award-Winning Variety—Recognised by the RHS for outstanding performance


🌱 Growing Information

📏 Mature Size (10 Years): 3-4m height x 2-3m spread
☀️ Position: Full sun for best fruit production
🌍 Soil Type: Prefers moist, well-drained soil (tolerates most soil types)
🌡️ Hardiness: Fully hardy, resistant to spring frosts
🌸 Flowering Time: Mid-spring
🍐 Harvesting Time: September – October
🛠 Maintenance: Low


🌿 Pollination Partners

Pear 'Onward' requires a pollination partner from the same or adjacent flowering groups to ensure fruiting. Ideal companions include:

  • Pear 'Beth', Pear 'Conference', Pear 'Fondante d'Automne', Pear 'Josephine de Malines', Pear 'Louise Bonne of Jersey', Pear 'Merton Pride', Pear 'Winter Nelis'

Note: Onward does not pollinate 'Doyenne du Comice'.


🍂 Care & Maintenance

  • Watering: Keep well-watered in dry spells, especially in the first few years
  • Pruning: Light pruning in winter to shape and encourage fruiting
  • Fertilising: Apply a balanced fruit tree fertiliser in early spring
  • Positioning: Best in sheltered sunny spots to encourage ripening

📜 History & Awards

Raised at the National Fruit Trials in Wisley, Surrey in 1947, Pear 'Onward' quickly gained recognition for its superior taste and resilience. It was awarded the RHS Award of Garden Merit, confirming its status as a high-performing, reliable garden pear.


🍏 Why Choose Pear 'Onward'?

If you're looking for a top-quality, frost-resistant, and reliable pear variety, Pear 'Onward' is a fantastic choice. Its delicious, buttery texture and sweet flavour make it perfect for fresh eating, baking, and preserves. A must-have for any home orchard or garden! 🍐

The plant's growth rate and size will vary depending on planting position & conditions. Bloom, foliage and interest may vary from photo upon delivery, dependant on season.

Delivery Note: Please note that unfortunately we are currently unable to deliver plants to Northern Ireland.

We are a family run, independent Garden Centre, Farm Shop and Restaurant combined. We are proud to offer the very best gardening, home and outdoor living products alongside delicious, fresh, locally produced food and drink.

Awarded 'Best Garden Centre in the UK in 2018 & 2021 you can rest assured that we offer excellent products, plants and customer service.

Learn more about us and our story on the 'About Us' page.

Collect your order in-store, have it delivered to your door, or choose a convenient InPost Locker!

We aim to dispatch orders as quickly as possible using trusted couriers.

Your Questions Answered...

What are the delivery options and prices?

We offer Standard (3-5 working days) and Express (1-2 working days) delivery for a small additional charge.

- Postable items (e.g., seed packets, gift cards) - £2.95 via Royal Mail.
- Smaller, lighter items - £4.95 – £6.95.
- Larger, heavier, and fragile items - £9.95 – £19.95.
- Pallet deliveries (e.g., furniture) - from £69.95 (see kerbside pallet delivery details below).

The exact delivery charge is calculated at checkout based on your selected items.

New! Deliver to InPost Locker

Instead of home delivery, choose to collect your parcel from an InPost Locker near you.

- Delivery rates: £3.95 or £4.95 depending on item size.
- How it works: Choose InPost after completing your order. You'll receive a notification when your parcel is ready to collect.
- Collection options: Scan the QR code or open the locker remotely via the InPost app. If collecting from a shop, show your QR code to the staff.
- Collection time: You have 3 days to pick up your parcel. InPost will send a reminder 24 hours before expiry.
- Tracking: Track your parcel via the InPost app or the tracking link in your confirmation email.

Can someone else pick up my parcel?

Yes! Share your QR code or collection code (sent via email) along with your mobile number, and they can collect it for you.

Do I need ID to collect from an InPost Locker?

No, just scan the QR code in the app or your email. For InPost Shop collections, show the QR code to the staff.

Any more questions?

Visit InPost’s [help page](#) for more details or check their blog for tips and updates.

How do I track my delivery?

Once your order is dispatched, you'll receive an email with tracking details.

Who delivers my order?

Depending on size and weight, orders are delivered by Royal Mail, Evri, or Parcelforce. Furniture and large items arrive via kerbside pallet delivery.

What is kerbside pallet delivery?

Large items like furniture are delivered on a pallet using a heavy goods vehicle. The pallet is placed at the nearest safe kerbside location. The driver cannot move it across uneven ground or remove the items from the pallet.

We can arrange a delivery date that suits you. If access for large vehicles is difficult, please let us know in advance.

What should I do if my order arrives damaged?

If your order is damaged in transit, email us a photo and your order number within 24 hours so we can resolve the issue.

Do you deliver to Northern Ireland?

Yes, though some larger or heavier items may incur a surcharge. Unfortunately, we cannot ship plants to Northern Ireland at this time.

Do any UK areas have a delivery surcharge?

Additional delivery charges may apply for:
- Channel Islands
- Northern Ireland
- Scottish Highlands & Islands
- Isle of Man & Isle of Wight
- Scilly Isles

What is the warranty on my purchase?

All products come with a manufacturer’s warranty (typically 12 months unless stated otherwise). Faulty items within the warranty period may be repaired or replaced subject to the manufacturer’s terms.

Still have questions?

Contact us via our [enquiry form](#), call 01497 847055, or email shoponline@oldrailwaylinegc.co.uk.

How do I return an item?

If a purchase is no longer required you are able to return the goods within 28 days of delivery for a full refund in accordance with our refunds policy set out in Clause 10 of our Terms & Conditions. We will refund any money received from you using the same method originally used by you to pay for your purchase. Please make sure that you include the sales order or invoice with your return.

When returning items to us, please ensure that any and all original packaging, instructions, tags etc are included as supplied to you. We recommend using a recorded/insured service to return your order. The Old Railway Garden Centre cannot be held responsible for returned items lost or damaged in transit to us.