Hi Jennie and welcome to GoY. I take it this is your neighbour's wall? Frankly you couldn't find a worse time to lift shrubs and trees particularly something like a 4 foot holly, which I doubt will survive! Are the shrubs and trees planted so close to the wall that the men can't do their work without you digging up? Why is he renovating the wall?

Any change of persuading him to wait a couple of months? If its a reasonably small fuchsia you might get away with putting it in a pot but it might be as well to cut it back somewhat to reduce transpiration. Take several cuttings now, before you move it. Is there no possibility of leaving the holly tree? Like MG, I think moving it would be dodgy even it you could plant it somewhere else immediately. Perhaps you could get a large plastic sheet and use it instead of a container. Get as much of the root system as you possibly can and transfer the tree to the sheet with enough soil to well cover all the roots. Make sure it is good and moist, and then gather up the sheet and secure it round the bottom of the trunk. You will need somewhere to prop it up safely. But don't hold your breath. Moving any shrub at this time of year is fraught - be as well to cut them back as for the fuchsia.

I can't see a holly tree 4 foot in height surviving being dug up... far to much stress!

Nor can I, but if she doesn't try it stands no chance at all, lol.

Unless she simply tells her neighbour 'no' sort your wall out without me having to dig up my shrubs. Jeannie has to give the neighbour permission to allow the workmen to be in her garden.

Jeannie is the wall in such bad condition this is really necessary?

Many thanks for all your responses. Will wait as long as I can before doing anything.

Why can't the neighbour sort the wall from his/her side Jennie?

The wall in question is the side of his house which backs on to my garden. The house has been very neglected for many years and the wall must be repaired and renovated so that the house is habitable. There really is no altenative to the revovation/ repair work and, to be fair, the renovator has agreed to pay any costs incurred in saving/replacing my garden and protecting my dogs from any falling debris. (The holly tree can be replaced but has sentimental value)
I should also have added that I live in south west Cornwall so the weather is very mild. I am hoping that I can delay the digging up as long as possible and will take all the advice offered for which I am very grateful.

Good luck! Just make sure you do get compensated for all the hassle and the fact that the bed will need a huge amount of work to bring it back into condition after workmen and their scaffolding have stood on it for a month.