Seeming to have been shaped by nature rather than the hand of man, this landscape is a natural wonderland
Landscape Queensland Construction Excellence Awards Highly Commended
In the serene rural locality of Doonan on the Sunshine Coast nestles a home and garden so connected to the natural world, it’s as if Mother Nature herself guided the designer’s hand, which is precisely the case, according to Nature Zone Landscaping’s Jason Pennell.
“I designed this rural landscape in close collaboration with nature,” he says. “I believe that a landscape already knows what it wants to become and it’s my role to listen, observe and then pull all the pieces together to shape what nature intended.”
Of course, listening to the homeowners’ needs and wants is just as important, but in this instance, Jason says there was no definitive design brief. Instead, they gave him a list of requirements, which included ample car-parking for family members, an outdoor kitchen and entertainment space, a cat run, and, outside the home office, a private, enveloping tropical-style garden.
The scope of works also ran the gamut from building a driveway, steps, pathways and fencing to the creation of something very special — a natural pond. This involved finding just the right spot, given the site’s steep slope, along with constructing three waterfalls, biological wetland filters, two jetties, linking boardwalks and landings.
“The overall design was loosely based on the homeowners’ birthplace, which is the Puglia region of south-east Italy. Inspiration was drawn from the white cliffs and sandy beaches of Gargano, the region’s dense forests and mountainous terrain, and the Murgia plateau with its sparse and rocky elevated plains,” says Jason.
“The plants are mainly fauna-attracting natives, such as the grass trees, although a few hardy exotics were interwoven, such as the mature olive trees we installed as an ode to the beauty of the Puglia region.
“The plant palette changes as you move through the different zones, giving each a distinctive sense of place while the swathes of native ornamental grasses add movement when caught by the breeze.”
The hardscaping materials were chosen with as much care as the plants to enhance the natural bush ambience. This includes the sustainably-sourced Australian mixed hardwood decking, flamed basalt-like stepping stones that sail through a sea of blue metal (natural stone) gravel, and the monolithic granite “spiral” staircase in the backyard.
This engaging project, which received a Highly Commended in the Residential $400,000 Plus category in the 2025 Landscape Queensland Construction Excellence Awards, holds a very special place in Jason’s heart.
“The most magical thing about this project is that the landscape does not look like it was created by human hands. Rather, it’s as if nature carved it into existence over many millennia,” he says.
“We feel very privileged that the clients allowed us to create something both they and the environment deserve without any parameters in design, scope or budget. This enabled us to deliver something elegant, truly timeless, and naturally beautiful.”
For more information
Nature Zone Landscaping
Mobile 0402 463 691
Email info@naturezone.com.au
