Tree-planting specialists to support £11.7m Queens Gardens redevelopment

COMING SOON: An artists impression of how Queens Gardens will look

A company with a track-record of delivering urban tree planting projects across the world has been appointed to deliver specialist tree-planting within the £11.7m redevelopment of Queens Gardens .

Founded in 1992, GreenBlue Urban was set up to research and provide solutions for assisting trees and helping them become established in urban spaces.

“Tree planting is a hugely important component of the Queens Gardens project,” said Councillor Daren Hale, leader of Hull City Council and portfolio holder for regeneration.

“The improvement in variety, foliage and layout is vital in creating the outstanding urban green space that we will all soon be able to enjoy.

“We know how important it is to get tree planting right. The current perimeter of the park has suffered and has been damaged due to trees that were not planted correctly, or were planted without consideration for how they would grow and develop; this has damaged not only the trees, but also boundary walls.

“By bringing on board a company with such an exceptional track-record in delivering and planting trees in urban spaces, we will avoid making the mistakes of the past and can be confident that we are delivering an exciting project for both the short and the long-term future of the city.”

GreenBlue Urban is the UK’s market leader in specialist tree pit products.

The company will supply and install 13 urban tree pit systems within the Queens Gardens redevelopment. These will be located on the northern and southern edges of the gardens and will prevent trees from damaging the new perimeter and boundary walls.

A variety of trees will be planted elsewhere in the gardens, and the wider city centre, as part of the project.

The initial stage will see the planting of the first Metasequoia tree – a species of conifer known as redwoods. Metasequoia trees are fast-growing and can grow to 30 metres in height.

Some of the trees within the planting scheme are on the endangered species list.

Work is under way on the first stage of the redevelopment, which is expected to be completed in June. The second and final phase will begin this summer, with completion expected at the end of 2023.

The Queens Gardens refurbishment is an integral part of the Hull: Yorkshire’s Maritime City project as it will link the Hull Maritime Museum to the North End Shipyard, which will be the new home of historic trawler Arctic Corsair.

The shipyard is being transformed into a new visitor attraction, which will tell its rich story for the first time.