Hillier partners with Tree Musketeers to boost urban planting
Hillier Trees and The Tree Musketeers have announced an exciting new collaboration dedicated to planting, protecting, and promoting trees within urban communities. The partnership brings together Hillier’s long-established horticultural expertise with the grassroots energy of a community nursery committed to expanding green spaces where they are needed most.
With more than 160 years of experience, Hillier is recognised as one of the UK’s leading tree nurseries, supplying high-quality trees to local authorities, landscapers, and private estates. Its blend of traditional knowledge and research-driven innovation makes it a natural partner for a community group focused on long-term stewardship of urban trees.
The Tree Musketeers, based on Hackney Marshes, work with residents, tree officers, park staff, and volunteers to grow, plant, and maintain trees across the borough. Their community-centred approach ensures that planted trees are cared for well beyond the initial planting day, creating lasting environmental and social benefits.
The partnership began to take shape following a meeting this summer between Adam Dunnett of Hillier and Marcelo White of The Tree Musketeers. Their shared commitment to horticulture, education, and sustainability highlighted the potential for a collaboration that strengthens both professional and community-led tree work.
As part of the partnership, Hillier growers will provide training, advice, and hands-on support to volunteers at the Hackney nursery, helping expand the group’s capacity to produce healthy, resilient young trees. In return, Tree Musketeers volunteers will visit Hillier’s nurseries to learn about propagation, tree care, and sustainable production techniques, creating a valuable two-way exchange of skills and insight.
The collaboration was officially launched on 26 November 2025, during National Tree Planting Week, with a ceremonial planting event featuring trees selected from Hillier’s climate-resilient trials. These trials, supported by forthcoming research with The Urban Plant Lab, aim to identify tree species most capable of thriving in future urban climates—ensuring that communities across the UK can benefit from long-lived, sustainable green spaces for generations to come.