We have two shaped holly trees in the garden that I hate and DH loves. They are evil with their prickly leaves and the dead leaves are even worse 
. I normally do the weeding and ends up with punctured hands from their evilness (their spikes seem to go through strong gloves as well) but I have gone on strike in that border now as I am sick of them. If DH likes them so much, he can deal with them.
Has anyone got any ideas for what smallish trees could replace them that would knock the socks off these evil things? They could be something that needs shaping or otherwise... They are kind of magic mushroom shaped at the mo from the previous owner. I don't think they are actually all that nice to look at but DH glares at me if I suggest that they would be better off as firewood. A gardener friend of ours said that we should take one of them out as two together in a row like that looks daft but he is hanging onto both of them.
They are in quite a sunny position as the border cuts across the middle of the lawn. They are right next to a masshoosive pine tree but they are south of the pine tree so it doesn't block out any light but probably does steal the water. We have a chalk based soil if that makes any difference.
Any ideas would be very much appreciated or I am going to end up chopping them down myself...