Testimonials

“We are very impressed with our finished garden, and continue to see the plants thrive to enhance this area.

Throughout the whole project, Karen and her team at Touchwood Trees have embraced the community, and enhanced our knowledge of plants and how to care for them. As well as this, we would like to thank you for the workshops which were carried out, with members of our community, from young children right through to elderly residents, to design and create mosaics, which have now been displayed in the garden. Fun was had by all, and itʼs great to see these on the walls around the garden.

From your initial visit along with your help, ideas and expertise to the finished article you have delivered above all expectations. Itʼs a great feeling to see something that you envisage come to life. The whole project has been worth every penny.

Please pass on our sincere thanks to the whole team for all their hard work and for ensuring the area was kept clean and tidy.

We would have no hesitation in giving any of your potential customers a reference, please do not hesitate to contact us if this is the case.

Once again thanks for your professionalism. ”

— Weir Estate Residents Association

“Carrie Reichardt, Karen Francesca and Atm Streetart were selected as the artists for the City North development in Finsbury Park following an invitation to artists to submit ideas and proposals for a public piece of art to welcome visitors to the new development. As one of the team that selected their proposal as the winning artists, we were spoilt for choice in terms of applications but felt their work not only provided such a powerful artistic statement but best encapsulated the area as a whole to tell its story. The final piece captures the history of the area brilliantly whilst providing an uplifting and joyous piece of art for people from all different backgrounds to enjoy and study. They have been an absolute pleasure to work with.”

— Dominic Jones, Chief Executive Business Design Centre Group Ltd

“Karen has been doing my garden for many years I have found her very reliable and hard working. There’s no slacking with Karen. Her knowledge of flowers and plants is unbelievable - half the time I haven’t a clue what she’s talking about but I am happy to give her a free hand. I live on a road near a school and get loads of people passing my house and they all say how nice my garden looks.”

— Harry Green, Westdene, Brighton

“My garden has been vastly improved under Karen’s care. I wasn’t sure what I wanted and Karen spent time talking to me, asking questions and using her knowledge of plants and herbs to make suggestions of what would work best for me and the garden. I am so much happier with my garden now and trust Karen to make suggestions which will continue to enhance my garden and my enjoyment of it.”

— Stella, Hove

“Working with Karen is a delightful and enlightening process. Her inclusive, sensitive and deeply thoughtful creative process is a pleasure I’d welcome again in any environment - where people can be reminded of the importance of art and nature in all of our lives.”

— Carl Munson, Community Manager, Hannahs

“Karen opened up our garden to us. It has been an education. We now know the plants and flowers we can eat and make tea with, as well as some of the plants and trees that will encourage wildlife, and it looks lovely all year round.”

— Sue, Hove

“Karen worked with us on a gardening project. She was able to engage children from Reception to Year 6 and linked the children’s learning to our cross-curriculum agenda. She worked well with staff and was responsive to their needs to fulfil other timetabled requirements.She was dedicated and brought energy, enthusiasm and professionalism to the project and maintained it throughout her time with us.I would be happy to answer any further enquiries regarding Karen.”

— Anita Leech, Sunningwell C of E Primary School

“I worked as the Environmental Education Officer for Brighton & Hove City Council for 19 years.My primary role within the council was to run the council’s environmental education programme for schools (there were approximately 100 schools in my ‘patch’, including the independents and special schools). A great deal of my work involved engaging local schools with the Eco Schools/Sustainable Schools schemes, as well as thinking of new projects and activities to get the eco message across to local children.‘Touchwood Trees’, and Karen, in particular have been commissioned by myself, on behalf of the council, for various projects within schools and with other local groups in Brighton & Hove on many occasions.I have known Karen in a professional capacity for approximately 10 years. Karen is extremely talented and is able to work with children and young people using many different media such as mosaic work, gardening, art and painting, sculpture etc. For example, one of the projects we have worked together on included the St Andrew’s Old Church (in Hove) Peace Mosaic. This project was prepared over several weeks with the children and young people from their Sunday school. It was a fantastic project and the mosaic still remains intact (not vandalised). It was an extremely inclusive project, as children of all ages and abilities were able to take part and ‘do their little bit’ with the relevant guidance from Karen.Other projects have included gardens, murals and mosaics within several schools. St. Andrews School had their newly built school and grounds developed by Touchwood over 3 years.There was a totem pole designed and created with local school children at a primary school in a very socially disadvantaged area within the city. The totem pole was built in the school grounds as part of a local ‘Heritage & Environment’ Festival.Karen has also been an active player at my Eco Schools Twilight training sessions, which is an annual professional development session for local teachers, bursars, teaching assistants, governors etc. She has regularly attended these with either a stall, giving out information and advice to teachers, or running a ‘hands on’ workshop.Karen has also organised and carried out a very successful Learning For Life project at Stanmer Park, which enabled a large number of school children to visit the park and learn a wide variety of life skills.I have always found Karen and her team at Touchwood Trees to be very professional, reliable, hugely talented with many different skills, and they always deliver their projects on time, within budget, and to a high standard.”

— Kim Jackson, formerly Environmental Education Officer, Sustainability Team, Brighton & Hove City Council