I guess you don't have a 60 foot walnut tree in your garden
I've just been out making gay noises with my backpack leaf blower. If the leaves are too deep they just compact so if you have too many trees it's best to do it a few times, rather than let it pile up. Unfortunately I did it a week back but the first frosts had the whole lot come off now, so I've blown it into a heap about knee deep and I'm just about to start stuffing it in me old collapsible bag to shove out the back ready for burning (Walnut tree leaves don't make good compost).When this is done I'll be off home to clear my garden, where I have about 15 fruit trees (I like concrete more and more
). At least there I can just blow it towards the end of the garden where the river is 'cos I'm trying to build the soil up.
By the way, mine's a Stihl 4-MIX - not 2-stroke, not really 4 stroke either but something in between, and it's amazingly quiet (unlike the chainsaw the neighbours have been using all afternoon
). It'll also clear snow that's not compacted.
Oh, if I don't pick 'em up the leaves will kill the grass and next year it'll just be a patch of sticky mud. Yuck.
And then there's pruning fruit trees in the spring, 20 feet up an apple tree wearing muddy wellies is so not my idea of fun 
