Family Tree
Grounds Maintenance & Construction
Garden maintenance, patios, decking and fencing in Dorchester-on-Thames, from a family business about three and a half miles away in Wallingford.
Dorchester-on-Thames is about three and a half miles north-west of our base in Wallingford, roughly ten minutes by road, with Berinsfield just to the north.
The village centre lies in the Dorchester Conservation Area, so a few extra rules apply to trees and old boundaries, and the ground is river gravel over Gault clay. Whatever the size of the job, we take on garden builds, regular maintenance and fencing here.
Patios · decking · garden builds
Patios, paths and decking, with sleeper beds, brickwork and complete garden makeovers. The gravel here drains freely, but the Gault clay beneath it is one the British Geological Survey lists among the clays most prone to shrink-swell — worth bearing in mind wherever footings go deep.
More on constructionMowing · hedges · clearance
Mowing, hedge-cutting, weeding and clearance, regularly or just once, plus new lawns: turfed, seeded or artificial. On free-draining gravel, lawns and new planting can dry out quickly in a dry spell.
More on garden maintenanceCloseboard · panels · gates
Fencing for gardens and land — closeboard, panels and post and rail — plus gates. Inside the conservation area, taking down an old fence, wall or gate may need permission, so check before a boundary is replaced.
More on fencingFrom Dorchester we also cover Warborough to the east, Shillingford to the south-east, Little Wittenham to the south-west and Burcot to the north-west.
Berinsfield is just to the north and Benson to the south-east. Our base in Wallingford is about three and a half miles away.
Jamie and his team from Family Tree GMC have just finished landscaping my daughter’s back garden. From start to finish, Jamie and his team demonstrated professionalism, commitment, and a genuine passion for what they do. They were friendly, cheerful and reliable. The transformation of my daughter’s outdoor space is nothing short of amazing! The attention to detail in every aspect exceeded our expectations. It's evident that the team takes immense pride in their work, and we couldn't be more thrilled with the results. Communication throughout the process was excellent, with Jamie keeping us informed and involved every step of the way. He listened to our ideas and incorporated them seamlessly into the design, making it truly a collaborative effort. We wholeheartedly recommend Jamie and Family Tree GMC for anyone looking to breathe new life into their gardens. Their expertise and dedication truly set them apart, and my daughter is now so excited to enjoy her beautiful new garden for years to come! Thank you Jamie for making my daughter’s garden dreams a reality!
Jamie and his team did an absolutely fantastic job cutting back and shaping a very large and wide hedge, made up of loads of different plants and trees. See before and after photos. They were very hard working and tidy, managing to do the whole job off ladders. Price was also very reasonable. I was extremely impressed and will definitely use them again.
Put custom made trellis fencing with concrete posts and concrete decorative kick-boards around back and front garden. Completed in good time. Price quoted, price paid, Jamie and his team are really easy to get along with people. Very happy with the end result. Lots of strangers passing by the house compliments me about how nice the fence looked.
River gravel · Gault clay · alluvium
Dorchester-on-Thames is mapped on Thames terrace sand and gravel lying over Gault clay. The gravel is mapped all the way round the centre for half a kilometre, except to the east, where river-laid alluvium takes over.
Gravel typically drains freely and is easy to work. The Gault beneath it is another matter: the British Geological Survey counts it among the clays most susceptible to shrink-swell, which is worth knowing where post holes, footings or soakaways go deep.
Dorchester · Overy conservation areas
The village centre is in the Dorchester Conservation Area, and the Overy Conservation Area is about 200 metres away. Inside either, give the council six weeks’ notice before tree work (a tree under 75 mm across, measured at 1.5 m, is exempt); you may need permission just to take down a fence, wall or gate, and a garden building to the side of the house, rather than behind it, needs planning permission.
Outside them, a new fence, wall or gate up to two metres high — one metre next to a road — doesn’t usually need planning permission. The village is outside any National Landscape; the North Wessex Downs boundary is about 0.8 km away.
Sources: British Geological Survey, Natural England and planning.data.gov.uk (open data); the Planning Portal, GOV.UK and the RHS. The Planning Portal is a guide — your council has the final word for your address.
If yours isn’t here, call or WhatsApp us on 07736 650477.
Yes. It’s about three and a half miles from Wallingford, where we’re based, around ten minutes by road. Give us a call or a WhatsApp on 07736 650477.
The village centre is: it’s in the Dorchester Conservation Area, with the Overy Conservation Area close by. That means six weeks’ notice to the council before most tree work, and you may need permission just to take down a fence, wall or gate. South Oxfordshire District Council has the final word for your address.
Mostly river gravel, which drains freely, lying over Gault clay. Gault is among the clays most prone to shrink-swell, so it matters for deeper post holes and footings; alluvium is mapped just east of the centre.
Yes — Warborough, Shillingford, Little Wittenham and Burcot, plus Berinsfield and Benson.
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch — by phone, WhatsApp or email, or through the enquiry form on our home page.
Use the enquiry form