Designing abundant and productive systems for the drylands of the world
I’m Shawn Steyn. Based in Namibia, I help people plan gardens, food forests and homesteads suited to dry conditions, drawing on permaculture principles and a whole-property approach.
Start with the landscape
Creating a productive property involves more than choosing what to plant.
Where does water come from, where does it flow, and how can it be used? Where will shade and shelter make a difference? How should growing areas, access and structures fit together? What can your available time, budget and water realistically support?
These relationships shape the design—and the order in which it makes sense to develop it.
My focus is on helping you understand those decisions and bring your ideas into a coherent plan, whether you’re starting with bare ground or adapting an existing property.
Work with me
Online consultations
A 60-minute conversation focused on your property and your questions.
We can explore layout, water collection and storage, productive planting areas, proposed interventions and priorities for implementation.
You’ll receive an emailed summary of our discussion, with helpful resources where applicable.
Available internationally, in English.
Property planning and mainframe design
A coordinated layout for your garden or homestead, considering water, access, structures, tree systems and growing areas together.
Using permaculture principles and the scale of permanence, we establish the overall arrangement before working through finer details. The aim is a plan you can develop in sensible phases, according to your resources.
Design projects are scoped and quoted individually. We can discuss your needs during a consultation.
About me
I’ve been studying permaculture and regenerative agriculture since 2014, with a growing focus on the opportunities and challenges of dryland environments.
In 2019, I completed my Permaculture Design Certificate at the Greening the Desert site in Jordan, taught by Geoff Lawton, Sam Parker-Davies and Istvan Markuly.
Since moving to Namibia in 2023, I’ve been developing my own garden and working on a greenhouse, greywater systems and rainwater collection, alongside practical work with tanks, pipes and water-system hardware.
In 2025, I completed a nine-day intensive regenerative agriculture training in South Africa with Richard Perkins and Gerardo Ruiz Smith.
I’m continuing to develop that knowledge through practical projects, with La Cantera becoming the main focus of my work over the coming years.
La Cantera
La Cantera is my personal project to restore a 20-hectare abandoned quarry in Namibia.
Currently in the design phase, it brings together my interests in water, landscape restoration, biodiversity and productive perennial systems.
I’ll document the design decisions, implementation and results as the project develops—including what works, what doesn’t, and what changes along the way.
More details to follow.
Let’s discuss your property
If you’re planning a garden, food forest or homestead in dry conditions—or adapting to a hotter, drier climate—let’s discuss your ideas and next steps.