Tranquil, relaxed and private … this lush tropical sanctuary is a place of serenity and contemplation
This little piece of paradise in Sunshine Beach blitzed the 2021 Landscape Queensland Construction Excellence Awards winning Residential Landscape Construction of the Year as well as two other major categories: Residential $175,001—$250,000 and Best Landscape Feature — Residential.
Evoking a sense of sanctuary and perfectly capturing the essence of Noosa living, this remarkable garden was designed by Earth Creation Landscapes’ design team, headed by David Wood, and built by the company’s highly accomplished construction team.
“Like all great landscape projects, this one evolved throughout the construction process. Once the garden started taking shape, the clients came to us with new ideas which our in-house design team was able to easily incorporate,” says Stuart Bain, Managing Director of Earth Creation Landscapes.
“What the homeowners wanted was a tranquil space in which they could unwind and meditate. We were told by one of the clients to ‘make me a garden of contemplation so I can see the stars at night and the reflection from the pond from inside the house … give me a private, peaceful tropical paradise’ and I believe that is precisely what we have delivered.”
Given the house took up most of the block, it was imperative the design maximised the feeling of space and ensured a seamless flow from inside to out. “We built the deck at the floor level to entice people into the garden. This also allowed the large deck step landings to double as extra seating when entertaining,” says Stuart. “The fire pit area — a space to gather for relaxed conversation — is another garden room that draws people out.
“The large feature Corten steel fire pit was custom fitted with an ethanol burner insert. This allows the clients to choose between a wood fire or, when they don’t want the inconvenience of smoke and ash, the ethanol burner.”
A curved timber and granite seat wraps around the fire pit and is orientated to take in the entire garden. Large random sawn bluestone steppers connect this area with a reflection pond which features coping of the same stone and a glass mosaic-tiled interior.
A standout feature is the helix shaped outdoor shower, which was the recipient of the Best Landscape Feature award. This outdoor shower is clad in spotted gum battens and fitted with custom-made copper rain heads, a copper wand and three individual mixers.
“All the plants for this project had to meet the brief of a sanctuary-like tropical paradise. However, due to the proximity to the ocean, strong winds and salt spray, correct plant selection was imperative,” says Stuart. “We used small varieties of plants with large numbers of each variety to increase the overall impact. Plant species included shell gingers, elephant ears, Congo philodendrons, native gardenias, and swathes of walking iris. Large feature pandanus, frangipanis and Australian fan palms are the main focal points.”
“This project was the perfect example of what can be achieved when you have a brilliant relationship with your clients,” he adds. “From the initial consultation and design, right through the construction phase there were clear lines of communication. This relationship continues as we are maintaining the property.”
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