Shaking the Pears in the Melon Yard

At the very end of August, just as summer begins to loosen its grip, the gardeners gathered in the Melon Yard to perform a time-honoured task: shaking the pear tree.

This is not simply a practical way of bringing in the fruit. It is a practice steeped in orchard heritage, with echoes that stretch back through centuries of rural life.

A Tradition of Shaking

Unlike apples, which often part willingly from their branches, pears tend to hold fast, even when heavy and ripe. In old orchards across Britain, the answer was simple: shake the tree. Men or boys would climb among the branches, or else a gardener with a long pole would knock the boughs, while sheets or straw were laid beneath to catch the falling fruit. Families, neighbours, and children would then gather in to collect the harvest.

In cider and perry-making regions such as Herefordshire, large parts of the community would join in the shake-down, with baskets quickly filling before the fruit was pressed into the season’s first batch of perry. There was joy in the work, but also a kind of ceremony—the sense that a crop was only truly gathered once the tree had been persuaded to let go.

The Pear in the Melon Yard

Here at Heligan, the pear tree in front of the Pineapple Pit (Swan’s Egg Pear) has seen many seasons. Last week, as August gave way to September, the gardeners spread a large sheet beneath its boughs and gave the tree a firm shake.

Although these dessert pears are ready for the table - other gathered pears are not always eaten straight away. Many varieties prefer to ripen off the branch, stored carefully until they soften and release their full fragrance. In this way, shaking is only the beginning of their journey from orchard to table.

Keeping the Heritage Alive

By shaking the pear tree in the Melon Yard, Heligan’s gardeners are keeping alive not only a crop but a tradition. It is a simple act, but one that binds the present to the past, echoing the rhythms of harvest that once defined the countryside.