Should we reduce our front garden conifer or remove it entirely?

[Maggiethecat]

Conifer at front of house must be about 15 ft tall.

I don’t love it but think I might miss the privacy it affords and I think the place would immediately be bare without it, although we could try growing something else in its place.

It’s up against the garden wall and doesn’t appear to have done any damage.

We have the option to remove it entirely or reduce it by about a third.

Would it look ridiculous cut by a third or could it be cut and shaped?

Is it better to just remove it?

It looks quite neat and healthy now but it will never look this nice again.

Ugly brown pruning bits are in your future!

I would normally never agree with removing a mature tree but these always look ugly in the long run. Loads of lovely options you could replace with!

In terms of replacement -
Flagpole cherry
Columnar rowan
Columnar hornbeam

Smaller -
Acer
Camelia

Flagpole is an Amanogowa Cherry. What are the cultivar names for the others?

Actually my daughter's is awful and was going to suggest removing hers. 🤣

Get rid and plant something more appropriate

Remove it and replace it with something native.

Get a tree surgeon to remove it after checking for nesting birds. It will be tricky to replant as the soil under conifers will be very poor for a few a good while ( you can improve it over time) but maybe get a crab apple (Red sentinel is a lovely variety)in a large pot as they have year round interest and are good for wildlife. A magnolia will get very big and they dislike being pruned so think carefully about it. Rowans are also lovely trees. There are so many options. Conifers belong in forests or very large gardens

For the rowan, 'autumn spire' and others with spire in the name.
And carpinus betula fastigiata for the hornbeam.
I think there are a few varieties of both though if you were to search.

Definitely remove. I was going to suggest a buddleia if you want some that establishes quickly. They can be a bit scruffy, but the butterflies make up for it!

Yes. And at least a buddleia can be hacked back without any drama.
We get bees, butterflies and even hummingbird moths. The blue tits perch on it too.

You can remove that yourself. It be long gone if it were in my garden.

Hoping to control whatever goes in there next.

Viburnum tinus is evergreen, pretty, great for pollinators and very easy to control.

Definitely get rid of it, wrong tree in the wrong place.

You could replace it with an obelisk or other structure and plant climbers to cover it.