Weeping Pear - how and when to prune?
Evening (sorry - can't figure out how to search the forum, so there might already be a thread about this, but I can't find it..)
I've got a tree in my front garden that I was told is a Silver Willow, and when I moved in, the tree was pruned into a very precise mushroom shape. The tree is about 3m high and 2.5m across
I've since let it grow out a bit (I don't like really precise shaping...!) and the new foliage is a much prettier colour plus the tree now has tiny little pears in the summer/autumn, so I think this is actually a Weeping Pear and not a Silver Willow.
Can anyone suggest how I can prune the tree so that it is safe for passers by, but also keep as much of the new growth as possible.
Are there any shapes that are better than others for this type of tree?
Also, the tree has become a bit lopsided over the years. If I trim back past where the leaves currently are (i.e. into the twigs) will the leaves grow back at the cut point, or is that a bad idea. I'm a complete novice 
Many thanks in advance for your help