Leave it to have a life of it's own Dawn, value it as part of your garden, it may be food for bullfinches in the winter.

A high nitrogen feed with a mulch of compost and regular drip watering might help to improve the size and amount of flowers. Test how dry the soil is before you give it water as it might not need it, with a small trowel prise back the soil and see how far down you need to go before finding the soil wet. The bull finches might be eating the flower buds and if so there is nothing you can do about it as the tree is too big to net. Some trees just do not flower well although another plant might be much better in the same situation. Drbobs advice is maybe all you can do.

it just mite be that this perticuler tree doesnt flower very well .

Thanks for getting back to me.
I thought it may be a problem with how it was grafted, or are they all grafted?
Scotgran - I think it has plenty of water as its close to the brook but I will check.
NoseyP: I think you're probably right.
I'm just disappointed as I bought the tree in memory of my late father and hoped it would be loaded with blossom at anniversary time.

i bet you are but perhaps look on the bright side its still a beautifull living thing that keeps a lot of insects and birds very happy . perhaps you could grow a nice climbing rose or two different colours up through it . i have a nice white one that looks lovley in flower.i think most of them are grafted dawnsaunt .mine is as are a few of my trees.take care bye for now xx

You're cheered me up Nosey, thanks. My dad would be pleased the wildlife are benefitting :-) Thanks also for the grafting info.
Brilliant idea about using it as a host for a climber, a rose would look good or even Clematis Armandii which flowers early Spring :-)))

or maybe even bothe one each side
glad to be of some use dawn xx

Thanks Leigh, you're a star.

your more than welcome dawn . its always easy to look on the downside but there is always an upside to everything .take care bye for now . 2 heads are better than one even if there sheeps heads as my nan used to say lol xx