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Margot Franssen

14 February 2001

David Orsini, of Sunarts Design, has been the Landscape Architect for The Body Shop since 1993. The late Alex Wilson, of the Garrison Creek Planting Company, recommended him to us. David has worked very closely with us in the overall development of the different phases of the landscape at the Canadian Headquarters of The Body Shop in Don Mills, Ontario. These different phases have included the development of our horticultural display gardens by our main entrance, the creation of a Wetland/Wildlife Area that is fed by stormwater run-off from the parking lot, and more recently the creation of additional gardens and parking facilities at the front of the property. All the gardens on the property are maintained without the use of chemicals.

Sunarts Design is currently involved with our greenhouse facility and is establishing a propagation program of seeds collected from rare native plants on the property. In addition to his landscape design and horticultural expertise, David Orsini has also assisted us with our Violence Against Women (VAW) campaign by assisting us in our plant sales and by donating his landscape architectural services for our VAW fundraising auctions.

In addition to his work at our Home Office, Sunarts Design has also designed the landscape at our cottage on Lake Simcoe, and more recently our Toronto residence. In the Fall of 2000 he designed and supervised the establishment of a neighbourhood woodland with more than 40 different species of plants native to Toronto, one of which, the Cucumber Magnolia, is listed as Endangered.

What has impressed me most during my association with David Orsini is his love of plants, his long-term vision and concern for ecology, and his hands-on approach to the creation of what I believe to be very beautiful landscapes.

Margot Franssen
President
The Body Shop Canada