Landscape artist William Dangar crafts a dreamy garden retreat above Lane Cove

Sydney’s beauty is best showcased in this waterfront home framed by jacaranda trees, native plants and heritage architecture.

The layered and textured garden around the outdoor area has become a focal point of the renovated home.

With architecture by Anwill and landscape design by William Dangar, this Lane Cove home is picture perfect. Photo: Anson Smart

“My design was inspired by the way the site sat high above Lane Cove River,” says the landscape designer, William Dangar.

“Despite being in a big city, it felt like you were on holidays somewhere in South America.”

The garden also includes a self-contained apartment designed by Alwill to be cleverly hidden beneath the swimming pool.

“It’s not a garden easily categorised. If I was to describe it to someone I would say it’s typical of the way I work with an emphasis on plants.

“There is method in the way the garden is designed. However, I think it still feels relaxed and not over designed,” Dangar says.

This property is one of several showcased in the recently released Belle Beautiful Australian Homes Volume II – a permanent, hardcover extension of Belle magazine’s editorials.

• Related: The concrete garden ‘box’ under Brazil
• Related: How an architect-owned country ‘hut’ looks
• Related: This home takes ‘waterfront’ to the extreme

Belle Beautiful Australian Homes Volume II is available now from leading Australian book stores, $59.99.