Family Tree
Grounds Maintenance & Construction
Landscaping, garden maintenance and fencing in Sonning Common, from a family business about eight and a half miles north-west in Wallingford.
Sonning Common is about eight and a half miles south-east of our base in Wallingford — around twenty minutes by road. The ground here changes noticeably from one side of the village to the other, from free-draining chalk and gravel to heavy clay.
We take on the full range: patios, decking and garden builds; regular mowing, hedges and clearance; and fencing and gates.
Patios · decking · garden builds
From a new path or sleeper bed to a patio, a deck, brickwork or a complete garden makeover. With clay mapped to the east of the centre and gravel to the south-west, what’s under a new patio depends on where you are.
More on constructionMowing · hedges · clearance
Regular or one-off: lawn mowing, hedge trimming, weeding and garden clearance. New lawns too, turfed, seeded or artificial. Clay drains slowly and bakes hard in summer, while chalk and gravel drain freely.
More on garden maintenanceCloseboard · panels · gates
Panels or closeboarding, post and rail and gates, for gardens and land. A new fence up to two metres high, or one metre next to a road, doesn’t usually need planning permission.
More on fencingAround Sonning Common we also cover Highmoor to the north, Gallowstree Common to the west, Kidmore End to the south-west and Chalkhouse Green to the south.
Woodcote is to the west, and Henley-on-Thames and Shiplake are both under four miles away.
Amazing service and work from the guys at family tree! Completely transformed our garden and gave us top-notch advice and guidance throughout the build. Would highly recommend them! Responsiveness, Punctuality, Quality, Professionalism, Value Garden design, Grading and resloping, Landscape design, Landscape management, Landscaping design, Landscaping maintenance, Lawn landscaping, Stone landscaping
Jamie and Riley did a very good job. Very professional, on time at a very competitive price.would use again and recommend Responsiveness, Punctuality, Quality, Professionalism, Value
Friendly, professional service from the guys at Family Tree. Highly recommend!
Chalk · Lambeth Group clay · river gravel · Head
The centre of Sonning Common is mapped on chalk. Within half a kilometre, though, the map shows Lambeth Group clay to the east, river gravel to the south-west and Head — a mixed hillwash deposit — to the north.
So the ground can change noticeably across the village, from free-draining to heavy clay. Soil can change markedly over a short distance, so it’s worth knowing which you have before a new lawn, patio or fence.
Chilterns boundary · no conservation area of its own
The village centre is just outside the Chilterns National Landscape — about 230 metres from the boundary — but about half the parish is inside it. At those addresses, planning permission is needed for any outbuilding placed beside the house, and beyond 20 metres from the house, garden buildings can cover no more than 10 square metres altogether without permission.
Sonning Common has no conservation area of its own; the nearest, Rotherfield Peppard, is about a kilometre from the centre. Fences, walls and gates usually go up without planning permission if they stay within two metres, or one metre beside a road.
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.
Yes. It’s about eight and a half miles from where we’re based in Wallingford, around twenty minutes by road. If you’re not sure your road is in reach, call or WhatsApp us on 07736 650477 and ask.
Partly. The village centre is just outside the Chilterns National Landscape, but about half of the parish is inside it, so the limits on garden buildings may apply depending on your address. Inside it, ones more than 20 metres from the house are limited to 10 square metres in total under permitted development.
No. The centre is mapped on chalk, but Lambeth Group clay is mapped to the east, river gravel to the south-west and Head to the north, all within half a kilometre. Clay drains slowly; gravel drains quickly.
Kidmore End, Gallowstree Common, Chalkhouse Green and Highmoor, plus Woodcote, Henley-on-Thames and Shiplake.
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