Principal Landscape Architect

FCSLA, FASLA

Since founding Virginia Burt Designs in 1996, Virginia has designed and directed healing landscapes for private residential, educational and public clients. VBD has established a reputation for creating gardens and landscapes of meaning. Virginia’s work has achieved international recognition receiving multiple awards from the American Society of Landscape Architects, Palladio, and Canadian Society of Landscape Architects. She is one of seven women in the world with Fellowships from both societies for outstanding contribution to the profession. Clients appreciate and value her deep respect for place and for the human dimensions of each project. Virginia gets things built — beautifully. 

Landscape Architect

OALA, CSLA, ASLA

Sydney is a Landscape Architect with nearly a decade of experience. Motivated to create engaging spaces for folks to live, work, rest and play, she strives to craft transformative spaces that inspire social, environmental, and spiritual enrichment. As a mother and avid gardener, she sees the value in creating accessible, beautiful, and engaging spaces for people of all ages and abilities; drawing inspiration from her travels across Europe and North America, her designs are imbued with robust and beautiful plantings to ensure continued growth and interest throughout the seasons.

Before joining Virginia Burt Designs, Sydney worked in the private sector, contributing to all stages of the planning and design process from concept ideation and schematic design to design development, municipal approvals, and construction drawings. Her project experience includes intimate gardens, trail design, municipal parks, boulevard streetscapes, mid-rise and high-rise developments, rooftop amenity terraces, master planning and preparing urban design guidelines. She is thrilled to join the VBD team and looks forward to creating fabulous, and lasting places.

Office Director

Leanne is a cut flower grower and sculptor who lives within walking distance to our design studio. She is committed to inclusion for all, community investment, and healing with nature. Her experience in administration spans many sectors including automotive, horticultural, retail, and education. She brings an uplifting and empowering vibe to our office, supporting our team, clients, and collaborators. designers so they can focus on doing what they do best.

Senior Landscape Architect

OALA, CSLA, ASLA

Professionally involved in Landscape Architecture for over 15 years,  Brandon has worked on a wide variety of projects ranging from small-scale and intricately detailed private gardens to mixed-use community masterplans. Brandon gains tremendous satisfaction when he is solving complex challenges throughout all phases of a project and has extensive hands-on experience in landscape construction.

This experience in construction corresponds to his passionate belief that the best learning is achieved through immersive experiences. Prior to continuing his career as a Landscape Architect with Virginia Burt Designs, Brandon lived on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Canada, visited all the Canadian provinces, and has explored the outdoors in areas of the United States, Asia, Europe, Central America, and the Caribbean; Brandon has an insatiable desire to expand his mind and understanding with new, creative, and cultural adventures. To Brandon, beautiful spaces and moments are created when our senses are engaged, and our minds are enlivened through human interaction and by learning with others.  

Senior Landscape Architect

OALA, CSLA

Ian Gray is a Landscape Architect with a distinguished career spanning over 30 years, known for his ability to envision and articulate innovative design strategies while effectively managing high-value initiatives. Ian’s work is characterized by a commitment to sustainability and community engagement, making him a vital asset to the Virginia Burt Designs team.

Ian’s leadership extends beyond project design and management; he has served as President of the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects and has been an appointee to various boards, including the Ontario Government’s Ministry of Economic Development. His accolades include a Toronto Urban Design Award of Excellence for the Bahen Centre for Information Technology at the University of Toronto. With a passion for creating spaces that foster community interaction and environmental stewardship, Ian is excited to contribute his expertise to Virginia Burt Designs. His dedication to crafting meaningful landscapes ensures that every project not only meets aesthetic goals but also enhances the well-being of the communities they serve.

Intern Landscape Architect

OALA, BLA, ADLD

A graduate from Fanshawe College, Jacob has an advanced degree in Landscape Design. Currently enrolled in the landscape architecture program at the University of Guelph, Jacob is completing his 4 month internship at VBD. We are thrilled to have Jacob on board as he explores innovative ways to integrate technology into our designs. With his exceptional creativity, technical, and strong academic background, Jacob brings a fresh and interesting perspective to our team – welcome aboard!

Intern Landscape Architect

MLA, BA

Lin holds a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Design in Environmental Design from OCAD University. During her studies, she contributed to the Green Roof Innovation Testing (GRIT) Lab, focusing on sustainable green infrastructure. She also served as a teaching assistant for undergraduate studio courses and led design-build installation projects that translated theoretical concepts into tangible, functional spaces.

Beyond her professional interests, Lin enjoys hiking and visiting local markets. She is eager to contribute to a diverse range of VBD projects, blending architectural forms with natural elements to create harmonious and ecologically sensitive landscapes.

Intern Landscape Architect

B.URP, MLA, LEED GA

Sakshi is a recent graduate from the Master of Landscape Architecture program from the University of Toronto, while also holding a Bachelor’s in Urban and Regional Planning from Toronto Metropolitan University. She has held a variety of research assistantships/internships that bridge design and planning, to create more equitable and beautiful places. Stemming from her educational and professional experiences, Sakshi’s research focuses on the line as a colonial design tool and the ramifications it has on the physical landscape, people, culture, and identity. Her thesis dug deeper into the 1947 partition of Panjab and the use of traditional dance as a design generator to bridge people, their memories and collective identities. Apart from her professional work, Sakshi enjoys reading, gardening, and travelling. 

Landscape Lover