Ideas to improve front garden please!

[Surpriseeggsforbreakfast]

We have inherited a straggly and unattractive hedge in our front garden with some shrubs and small plants behind it. Any ideas how I can make it a bit neater? I have tried tidying up the hedge but it never really looks neat, so I'm wondering if I should get someone to just chop it down to the ground and replace with something else. Any suggestions for other plants that would give a nice effect? I also love small magnolias/rhododendrons/camellias so could I just have 2-3 of these instead?

Photos in next post

Photos attached (apologies for the mess, I was weeding )

You could grow lovely grey and white cats! What plant is the hedge? As you've got a wall as well you could dig out the hedge. Just chopping it down would probably only result in it sprouting from the stumps. ( big job) You would then have to improve the soil, as hedges tend to take a lot of nutrients out, then you could put in the plants you have mentioned. Camellias don't like morning sun, the flower buds burn.
It looks like you have some lovely plants there already.

The cat is the neighbour's, he considers himself the rightful owner

The hedge is old and has very rhucjnbranches! It's more like a tree at the base of each plant. I might get some quotes for removing it then. There are some nice plants in there but l it might look a bit bare without the hedge too.

That should say very thick branches!

If you decide to get rid of the hedge, then contact your local bonsai society, there's bound to be some members only to pleased to come and dig them up and turn them into bonsai trees. They are always on the look-out for this type of material

How about call a pro to trim the plant. It is much easier to maintain the cut if you have an obvious shape to follow.

I have posted my hedge on freecycle and hopefully someone is coming this week to dig it out for me! So thanks for that tip Yamadori

I am also getting rid of a couple of the Japanese type plants that aren't to my taste and will look into replacing with pretty flowering bushes and trees

I thought you had a nice acer on the left; shame if you don't like that?