Review: 41707 Tree-Planting Vehicle

Heartlake City has grown these past 10 years -- Olivia's Flower Garden has grown too -- into a Tree Nursery with Greenhouse.

She needs a vehicle to get those trees planted! Her Tree-Planting Vehicle is a truck with crane for lifting trees into the bed.


Before the tree that Olivia and Daniel loaded onto her truck is delivered. A younger sapling gets transplanted from the Greenhouse to a Tree Nursery pot, so it can grow bigger!


Let's look at how the Greenhouse is built: It has already attracted a Butterfly -- which is a new-for-2021 element, and quite larger than previous Friends butterflies.
The roof with louver windows for fresh air, or release heat, is actually built onto the unit.


The center section roof has finials and a "sprouting Earth as a plant" fun Logo sticker sign.
A trash can with lid for composting goes next to garden shears and the instructions for all Greenhouse workers.
We have a hanging plant and 3 more in various growth stages.


Next we create a tree with flowering branches to attach. The 1x1 Bee tile was new for 2021 and comes in other sets, such as Main Street Building -- as Honey jar lids.
There are clips ready for the side section to be built and connected.


The back helps show that the tripartite door/window panels have the framing on the outsides on the sides, and on the inside of the back wall. There's a clip on the other side too -- for another section.
The spares in bag 1 are generous with extra scissor and Bee tile!


Also in bag 1 we get Daniel, who is Mia's brother. So far this is the second set for 2022 that our first mini-doll is a male, and also not one of the core 5 Friends (even though Olivia is in this set).
His dark red hair is hard plastic, just like his previous appearance in Mia's Treehouse. He's wearing sand-blue denim coveralls with a white t-shirt trimmed in Teal.
Maybe he studied botany or agronomy while at college since 2018.


Both side sections are built with bag 2, which includes the new lime green Watering Can whose spout can take a pin size element, like a water spray, or hair accessory flowers, or feathers, etc.
To use as planter pots, we get bright yellow 3x3x2 decoration element with cross hole, which are new for 2021, and in only otherwise in a Super Mario set.

The flowering trees can be removed easy -- thanks to center stud smooth round tile (same as what the watering can rests on); so they can be re-planted. If you have ever planted a potted tree, you know how getting it out safely without damage to branches or root balls can be delicate.

A Ladybug hiding behind the Mushroom per instructions -- no worries, we get a spare along with other small parts.


We get some newly re-colored for 2022 parts: In medium azure -- 6x6 plate; 2X3X1 1/3 brick with plate (step); and 2x6x2/3 plate with 4 horizontal knobs - which is a new mold for 2021 and rare, only otherwise in black and dark stone grey. New in lime is the 1x10 plate.


The truck chassis is very solid with a lot of reinforcements. The new-for-2022 electric icon 1x1 round tile goes above the front grille -- just like a logo on a real vehicle. It's also found on the delivery truck in Main Street Building.


The 2x6x2/3 plate with 4 horizontal knobs in azure form the front grille/bumper and back bumper sections we build separately. Once they are attached, the front hood piece, and back truck bed secure them with a second direction of studs. They aren't going to fall off. Front sections aren't a new building style, yet are usually held on by studs in only one direction.
We get a spare electric icon tile along with other important 1x1s.


Finishing the truck with bag 4 parts, we install an adjustable steering wheel -- and -- adjustable side mirrors!
We also install seats for two mini-dolls, attach rake and shovel. The hoist crane is built into the bed with controls and gauge. The bed rails and tailgate get added. The cabs roof can come off to put mini-dolls in -- and while its secure with 2-studs against a grey shelf piece, I don't recommend picking up the truck by the cab -- as it will come off. It's a fairly weighty truck for its size.


Olivia is the "progress bar" mascot for instruction book #2. This type first appeared in 2020 and paused in 2021. Not only is the progress bar helpful -- the extra expressive graphics throughout give an interactive feel.
Now you can see what I meant about the front section -- once to hood gets added, it's very secure.


Before we add parts to the truck, let's look at a close-up of Olivia in a dark pink overalls rolled up as shorts -- with a polka dot teal and white shirt. The front bib has a pocket and the back printing has a plain bib section. Her Teal shoes tie it together; it seems like the first she's worn teal.
Her hair is the classic Friends rubbery type, which might be rare for the January 2022 wave. Other sets I've opened so far all have hard plastic hair pieces.


The truck is now finished with a matching "sprouting Earth" logo on the front hood, to match the greenhouse/tree nursery. The back of the truck frame against the cab where the crane is based uses (surprisingly) newly recolored 1x2 slope bricks in medium azure.
The back tailgate gets a sticker with an "I heart trees" bumper sticker, which goes with the "TREE 'heart' 22" license tag. The Bee graphic appears to be a Bee on the truck. Considering there are other sets with Olivia and Bees ... this is a fun tie-in.


And here is Olivia with her Tree-Planting Vehicle!
We get a spare black string with studs in case the winch breaks on a really big tree! The other spares are nice, and a pressure/temperature gauge 1x1 tile is so versatile (especially for coffee machines!).


Stickers: I like the idea that Earth is one huge plant! The "I heart Tree" bumper sticker is on the tailgate sticker :-)
The yellow planter pot stickers match the yellow of the parts we adhere to -- which is easier than when the graphics have clear sticker backing.


The side curvy flanges remain for 2022, as well as side mini-doll group image, which started in 2021 -- replacing scene slice.
The complete parts list can be found in booklet #1 on LEGO's instructions page.


Box front: New for 2022 is the omission of the BFF Heart on the upper right corner. This gives room for build images, or background scenery.

The greenhouse/tree nursery appears to be near the park next to Heart Lake.


Box back no longer has the 5 core Friends along the bottom left. I'm fine with that, because it gives more space for set details or scenes.
Contains 4 parts bags, 2 instruction booklets, and one sticker sheet. In my box the stickers were in between the 2 booklets, so they were in mint condition.
Since the greenhouse and truck have separate booklets -- two builders could share and build this set together easily.


While Olivia transports that Flowering Tree to its HLC destination, Daniel waters the new sapling -- which is very important! Roots need moisture to establish in new soil.

Squirrel looks for any dropped Acorns in the wheel barrel ...


Summary:

This lovely Greenhouse can be placed in the backyard of any LEGO House! The use of tripartite frames is inspirational and would be great for building a larger conservatory.

Of course getting new flora and fauna parts is always a fun aspect of any new year or wave of Friends sets. The watering can is also a nice, useful addition to Friends!

The main focus of this set's name is a vehicle -- and this truck earns that title! It is very solid and could fit into lots of other LEGO themes layouts -- especially City or Creator. There are so many details that make it worthy: Hefty for play, Steering wheel, Side mirrors adjust, working Crane, Tailgate, plus front/back bumpers that aren't going to come off. As I mentioned earlier in this review -- while it's great for the cab's roof to come off for inserting mini-dolls, just don't pick up the truck that way. It's really a small issue. Even if the truck fell far, it's so solid that I doubt it would come apart. It could also be re-built into a regular truck without the crane. It would be fun to add wood panel side rails in place of the white.

Friends sets frequently tie into other sets topics and scenarios, and this would be nice for transporting Bee hives to the new Friendship Tree House. Yet, just as its own set -- it has nice building techniques and a universally engaging topic.


Disclaimer:
This set was provided by The LEGO Group for the purpose of sharing set details with fans.
Opinions provided here solely reflect those of our reviewer.
Photographs are property of FriendsBricks and are not directed by TLG in any fashion.

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