Meet Coen: Growing gardens and community at Sundale

For Sundale’s Maintenance and Grounds Manager Coen, Sunshine Coast gardening is about much more than caring for plants. It’s about creating welcoming spaces, getting to know residents and finding opportunities for connection in everyday moments.

A conversation around every corner

It is not unusual for Coen to be stopped on a walk through a Sundale retirement village. A resident might have a question about pruning, a flowering grevillea to show him or simply a few minutes to chat.

“Honestly, I’m headhunted,” Coen laughs. “I’ll be halfway across the retirement village and someone’s waving me down from three streets away.”

It’s a familiar part of his working day, and one he genuinely enjoys. What might begin as a quick question about a garden can turn into a longer conversation, a chance to share advice or simply an opportunity to catch up.

For Coen, those everyday interactions are just as important as the work happening in the gardens around him.

People are at the heart of the role

After more than seven years with Sundale, Coen leads the maintenance and grounds team across multiple communities.

He grew up on acreage and previously managed large residential and rural properties, but the relationships he has formed at Sundale are especially important to him.

“I really enjoy spending time with our residents,” he says. “Whether it’s talking about their gardens, listening to their concerns or helping resolve an issue, it’s rewarding to know the work we do has a direct impact on their daily lives.”

Working across Sundale’s communities means Coen and his team do more than maintain outdoor spaces. They become familiar faces, getting to know residents and the little things that matter to them.

Whether it’s helping with a maintenance concern or stopping to admire a favourite plant, Coen values the opportunity to make someone’s day a little easier or more enjoyable.

Retirement village gardens with personality

The team cares for shared outdoor spaces, while many residents add their own touches to gardens outside their villas.

Coen enjoys seeing favourite plants, colourful pots and carefully tended beds.

“It’s lovely seeing residents make their spaces their own,” he says. “You can tell how much pride people take in their gardens, no matter how big or small.”

Those gardens often lead to conversations about banksias, grevilleas and visiting black cockatoos.

For many residents, gardening is a way to express their personality and continue enjoying an interest they’ve loved for years. Some take pride in a carefully maintained garden bed, while others find pleasure in a few colourful pots outside their front door.

These individual touches bring character to retirement village gardens and provide natural opportunities for neighbours to stop, admire a flowering plant and strike up a conversation.

Coen particularly enjoys the interest residents take in the surrounding environment, including the native plants and birdlife that are part of the Sunshine Coast landscape.

Coen’s Sunshine Coast gardening tips

Spring is a busy season for the grounds team, with pruning, mulching and preparation for warmer weather.

Coen encourages home gardeners to start with the basics rather than tackle everything at once.

“Start with healthy soil, choose plants that suit your climate and remember that a little bit of regular attention goes a long way.”

His advice is a useful reminder that a beautiful garden doesn’t necessarily need to be complicated. Whether you’re tending a small collection of pots or a larger garden bed, getting the fundamentals right can make gardening more enjoyable.

Three simple principles underpin Coen’s approach:

Start with healthy soil. Give plants a good foundation before worrying about the finishing touches.

Choose plants suited to the local climate. Sunshine Coast gardening comes with its own conditions, so selecting suitable plants is an important first step.

Keep up regular maintenance. Small, consistent efforts can help prevent gardening jobs from becoming overwhelming.

And for those interested in native plants on the Sunshine Coast, banksias and grevilleas are among the familiar varieties that can bring colour and attract interest from local birdlife.

More than maintenance

Coen sees the value of his work in the everyday interactions it creates.

A chat in the garden can lift someone’s mood, help resolve a concern or simply make the day more enjoyable.

As he puts it: “It’s actually not too hard to make a big impact on a resident.”

It’s a simple observation that captures what Coen enjoys most about his role. Behind every well-kept garden and shared outdoor space are the people who use and appreciate them.

For Coen, the greatest satisfaction comes not just from seeing the gardens looking their best, but from the conversations, friendships and sense of community that grow alongside them.

Learn more about retirement living at Sundale and the communities that Coen and his team help care for.

Photo Credit: Leah Desborough