How big is the area - actually, seeing a photo of it would be useful as well.

The leylandii next door will be sucking moisture and nutrients from the soil on your side as well, so depending on how big the area is, it might be better to do something else with the it. Plants that don't mind shade usually prefer damp soil, it may be that pots are the only option. Problem with that is the need to water regularly and you'd be restricted to smaller plants; larger, shade loving shrubs will outgrow the pots fairly quickly.

Cyclamen hederifolium (flowers autumn, disappears in summer) Several of the Athyrium ferns, possibly Tiarella, possibly Brunnera. I have a good clump of Arum metallicum maculatum under a leylandii hedge but I don't know how it would go on under fully grown ones. It only has leaves part of the year but if you are lucky it gets red berries in autumn. Pachysandra terminalis is not spectacular but it covers the ground. Epimediums might be worth try too.
Couple of clematis, Perle d'azure and Nellie Moser, but you'd have to put up trellis to support them and they might be better in biggish containers - don't know, never tried that.
If you mix lots of gel granules in the soil for better water retention and improve it with good compost you might get away with it.

Sorry Bamboo, I wrote this before you replied.

Do the roots spread over to your side? You may need to chop out some roots or use a pair of lopers. Check out the latest heuchera plant varieties - so many colors and varieties to choose from. Also the Arisaema fargesii is quite interesting. You can plant directly into the ground. Just add a layer of mulch to retain moisture and for added nutrients. You can also use a slow release fertilizer like Osmocote but may not even be necessary. Hydrangeas, Fuschias, Foam Flower, Hostas, Azalea, Christmas Fern are all options.

The roots are definitely on my side of the fence. The ground is dry and always covered in debris from the tree that I am constantly raking up. I have a beautiful clematis that grows up the wall further along out of the leylandiis way at the moment and I put a gravel strip along the wall edge as I read somewhere that clematis like there roots well protected. As Bamboo said I may well be better off doing something different there. As there is guttering on the side of the building I may well be better moving my waterbut there.

Thank you everyone

Is it just one tree or is it a couple so could be called a hedge? Reason I ask is I have got neighbours that have a Laylandi hedge that is now about 25ft tall and they were refusing to cut it as she wants to pretent that she has no neighbours and block out being able to see us and the shop next door. She has open fields the other side of her. Anyway, they have finally agreed to cut it back down as I threatened them with the high hedge act. You have to pay a fee to your local council, they come and survey it and tell them at what height it has to be cut back to and by when. If the neighbours then don't do it, they are taken to court, fined and could end up with a asbo. The council then come and cut it and neighbours get charged. I had no problem going this route as I had already fallen out with them. They have drilled holes in our garden wall(not party wall), wouldn't cut the hedge, told me to move my greenhouse instead, lots of other small things but the latest was with a digger, going through my main water pipe, turning it off and then not even telling us they had done it. We ended up without water for 9 hrs.

What nightmare neighbour's you have, Jen. Such a pity as it is so much nicer when one has helpful ones. I am lucky, but it has not always been so, so I know what it's like & how it impacts upon ones life. We ought to all try to get along together don't you think.

So sorry the troubles are still ongoing Jen.

NAT you are legally allowed to remove roots on your side of the fence, but it could well destabilise the tree,to say nothing of your relationship with the neighbour...

Neighbours don't talk to us...but then they don't talk to anyone.

Our road reminds me on the same road the The Goods and The Leadbetters lived on in the Good Life....We are probably more Tom and Barbara than Margo and Jerry as I still finding gardening a huge learning curve.

Its only one tree but it is huge Jen. The light is most definitely less now than a couple of years ago. I would have no problem going down that route either as the couple next door as so rude and literally don't acknowledge anyone in the road. Such a shame as I like to get on with everyone.

I think I will wait until Mr Next-Door is out and then give Mrs Next-Door a knock. She seems much more approachable. There front garden is so over grown I will have to tie a bit of string to make sure I find my way out but I do need to speak to her as I need to cut the tree growing in their front garden as it spikes us all in the face when we are trying to leave our house its got so out of control. They said no last time and that they would do it but it didnt happen.

I'd rather not have a neighbour dispute if I can help it so I will approach with caution and remain open and friendly to solutions.

Fingers crossed :)

Nat know what you mean about trying to not have confrontation. I've been the same with next door. 5 times over the last couple of years they said they would cut the hedge and didn't and each time I just asked again nicely. When they went through our water main and didn't tell us, we had to shout over the hedge as they have now put up 6ft gates that can only be opened from the inside. They still had water, it was only our house it effected. He did finally opened the gates and Tim sent me to talk to him as he was scared he would lose his temper. Was really surprised in myself, I totally lost my temper and let him have it, I'm ashamed to say and it was then that I told them I would use the high hedge act if the hedge wasn't cut in the spring.

You are allowed to cut back any branches that come over to your side but you are supposed to offer them back. Sounds like it is very close to your house. There are other routes to take but you have to prove the roots are or could damage your house. Hope you do manage to get the wife to listen.

Thanks Sue and Feverfew, I hate not getting on with them but they have fallen out with everyone here.

Mine neighbours are the same. Its a nice road with decent size gardens, front and back.

I think somebody over the road put their noses out of joint when they asked them to sort their front garden out.

They literally can't see out there front downstairs window as its got something growing all over the front of the house...theres rubbish in the garden and their wheelie bin is always on the path.

To be honest I would rather just stay my own side of the fence and avoid the situation like the plague BUT likewise I dont want to lose my light either.

I will nip round later when Mr Nexr-Door is out. I am sure Mrs Next-Door will be lovely

x

Good luck. Got my fingers crossed for you Nat. Main thing is you don't get worked up about it. You don't need that with your recent health. X

Gosh NAT, Jerry and Margo weren't that bad. If you get no joy from asking you can still cut off what overhangs your garden.

Ok, Soooo....Mrs Next-Door is clearly terrified off Mr Next-Door. I asked if she was happy for me to trim the tree my side and when I did, did she want the cuttings back and she said she'd rather I just did it and didn't involve her. I will be cutting the front garden tree on Sunday.

As for the laylandii...not such good news. She won't be asking Mr Next-Door to get that sorted any time soon. I explained that I could get the council involved due to the high edge act but that I really didn't want to go down that route and that it would be much easier to work it out between us...she shut the door in my face.

I am going to knock and speak to Mr Next-Door on Sunday (in the light so I can see where I am going and because I am a big woose) and try and explain again.

I think in the past I never really noticed because I wasn't interested in my garden but now I am I want lots of sunshine to help things grow.

I am sure we can get it all sorted

:)

Good grief! I am so glad we moved and have no close neighbours. Jen’s sound very selfish but your two sound creepy! They wouln’t get away with it in Many other countries, but I think here we are just a bit too liberal when it comes to people who are clearly making life miserable for their neighbours. If people don’t want neighbours, and don’t want to get on and make compromises with their neighbours, why don’t they move to somewhere more remote? You be careful NAT.

I'll be ok.

I will only go when I know there are people at home and I will probably make my OH stand in our garden in case Mr Next-Door gets all shouty.

I will be cutting the front hedge whether he likes it or not. It scrapes the car and visitors faces when they come round...we all know to duck.

As for the leyladii I will be as compromising as possible but it does need a massive haircut.

Oh Nat. I am so sorry. It does sound like she is scared of him. I think it is a good idea to have your OH close by. I just wished people were more considerate to their neighbours. I have to laugh at mine. When I had a go at him, he said to me that I just had to ask lol. I pointed out I had 5 times! To use the high hedge act, you have to prove in writing that you have tried to sort things out. That is why now we put a letter through the door as well as send them an email. When we just sent an email, they denied getting them, saying that her phone was playing up. We are luckily that we have their email addresses due to last year us both trying to fight a haulage yard being built next to their house. They also recommend keeping a dairy of times and dates when you have spoken to them about it. Stay safe and good luck.

We had a large leylandii hedge (inherited!) surrounding most of our last property. What a previous owner had done was to dig out a deeper bed about a foot away from the base of the leylandiis and all along where they were growing, edged it with kerbstone at the back, then added plenty of manure and good compost. I grew several pretty shrubs along the length of that bed and had no problem. It does sound as if you’ll have to saw out the tree roots first though

There is a mature Leylandii hedge on my neighbour's side but luckily they keep it trimmed to about 8'. It must be about 20 years old now. However, I thought I'd let you know what has grown successfully in the bed directly next to the hedge. Mahonia (Charity I think) has grown beautifully and is now about 8/9' high and very bushy; Philadelphus has also done well; Acer, Viburnum Bodnantese Dawn, ferns for dry shade and grasses; Geraniums Phaus and Rozanne. Lots of snowdrops and narcissi. I have to say though that I'm in Devon and so lot's of rainfall especially in winter.

Well I am no further forward... I Have sent a letter (recorded Delivery) as I need to be able to prove that they got it according to the High Hedge Act. We will see what happens now.