Well, containers is best, SRS 'cause when ya' do it on the ground pesky roots find it and suck all the goodie outta it from underneath... If ya' have to do it on the ground it best tp put an old sheet of plywwood under it...
Sound like a good neighbor to have in that he is willing to share his leaves with you... Because we live purdy much pn a ridge the leaves are blow downhill and way from the house and I have to take the tarctor down there, fill the bucket and bring them up... We run them thru a shredder which chops them up real nice and then they can either go into the composter as shredded leaves or we us the shredded leaves as mulch around acid loving plants...