Next door's Mahonia Aquifolium

[PenCreed]

Next door has a Mahonia which is very keen on spreading under the fence and taking up sections of my flower bed. I have hacked it back, but am struggling to dig it up as the roots are deep and the runners are right beside my own plants, which I don't want to disturb.

Short of putting stump killer on the cut back bits, does anyone have any suggestions for how to stop it taking over my flower bed? It's so bloody spiky too!

Would your neighbours agree to relocate it? If not, could you treat it much like bamboo and bury paving slabs or similar along the boundary to stop (or at least hold back) the incursion? I don’t think stumpkiller is the answer, in case it kills the main plant, but suspect you might need to empty your flowerbed so that you can bury the slabs and then replant.

That sounds like it will be worth a try - although emptying the flower bed will be difficult as there's an old rose bush to one side of it. But I want to be able to use my own flower beds, and I can't murder next door's plant, so I'll have to get digging!

Yes, potentially a lot of work but I can’t think of any other option, short of letting yourself be swallowed by rampant mahonia!

Can you work with your neighbour to find a solution? If they don't realise there's a problem, you'll never solve it. Well, not without destroying your neighbour's plants and that's not really on.

I'm working with the neighbours at a garden I work in, where the monstrous bamboo in their garden has worked its way under the fence and is making a bid for world domination. As ever, I got pushed forward to speak the neighbours but they are being very good about it, as they weren't responsible for planting the bamboo and don't particularly appreciate it either. On both sides of the fence, we're using a combination of digging and poisoning to try and get rid of it. At the moment, it's very much a work in progress, but the participation of both sides is vital for success. I find that most people are generally willing to work with their neighbours to make things better for both sides and hope that works for you too.

Next door is very reasonable so I might have to have a word. I was hoping for a miracle solution but as always with gardening it’ll be hard work instead! (I wouldn’t ever actually kill off someone else’s plant)

Fingers crossed the neighbours will agree to help!