Sorry Aunt Sally but I suspect you have a real challenge. The hedge will have seriously depleted the soil, nothing with grow easily within several metres of the hedge.

You could always make a raised bed in front of the tree's and put some low trellis at the back for growing plants up and so on, :o))

I agree, build some raised beds, and introduce some quality soil to the area. I am amazed how many plants will grow in shade, If you water the area regularly hostas and ferns hopefully will also grow for you. Perhaps if hubby won't cut them down he might offer to build the borders.

Sorry Kfunsters but where are these plants going to get their water and nourishment from - the Leylandii will have taken it all and will continue to do so?
I would bite the bullet get them removed and improve the soil and replant with tall and interesting shrubs/trees,. because now you have cut off the branches which wont re grow I suspect you will always be unhappy with them.

True Drc if Auntsally has cut back to brown growth then the Leylandii will not regrow. I know because we did it intentionally in the veggie garden.

We got rid of Leylandii in our garden in stages after we moved into our present house. These trees seem to have the ability to cause trouble, even between partners!! That said we left some whoppers behind when we moved. On an end boundary that faced what was a dumping ground, until we cleared it and cultivated fruit on it. They are, amazingly, still there. Try to do it now, before they become a treeman's job. It will cost to get clear felled. Incidentally the stumps of conifers do disapear better than Hazel stumps. After refreshing the soil you can plant between stumps. Everthing we put there has done so well, we now need help to reshape a Laburnum and a Hazel!

Hi everyone, I just wanted to say Thank you all very much for the advice. It was more or less as I thought. I cannot remove the dreaded things, so I think I will put up a trellis as Ladyessex1 suggested, enrich the soil, and be very diligent about a food and watering regime. Wish me luck. when everything is planted I will upload a few pictures. I'm very glad I joined everyone is so clever and all very supportive of each other. Hopefullyone day I will have enough knowledge to contribute to. So for now I will enjoy the blogs and photo's

I am sure your opinions and observations would be welcome Auntsally as it seems to me thats the way this site operates we can all have a say.