Rosendal in the Eastern Free State has a high -altitude alpine climate. Drought cycles and extreme temperatures with up to minus 15 degrees C, snow, hail and frost makes this a difficult area for sustainable landscaping. The design approach was to first create a protected micro climate by using fencing covered with fast growing evergreen creepers, evergreen tree hedges and tree canopies to divide the site into protected enclosures. Low maintenance grassed meadows are interspersed with hardy evergreen accents and combined with endemic and indigenous drought resistant planting. Grey water is channeled into the herb and edible garden areas. Rainwater is channeled into a storage pond which also acts as a duck pond and reflective water feature. Ornamental planting is supplemented with medicinal, fruit bearing and crop planting to contribute towards a ‘living off the land’ sustainable landscaping approach.