I would take a risk and flat-top them to about 5-6 feet tall. Make sure they are all the same size when done or it will look even worse. Since they already have multiple leaders, it shouldn't do any harm.

Would she be open to removal? They are really too large for the space now, encroaching on the walkway to the front door and the driveway and make the house look unwelcoming. The one that has splayed out looks irretrievable to me, and I can't see any of them looking better or surviving next winter's snow any better after pruning.

what's the answer you want?

One could make a case for removal. knowing what I know about old people who have been in their house for y-e-a-r-s, that's not going to fly.

One could make a case for trimming back the worst offenders nearly completely, trimming everything to just below the eaves and between pruning and selective tying into place, which would have to be done somewhat judiciously and maintained.

One could make a case for pruning a couple (like the one nearly lying on the ground) and tying the rest into place.

The good news is, someone planted these far enough away from the house that they aren't trying to grow around the eave.

The two on the right don't look too tricky...it's the other one that's the challenge. The one beside the door looks like there's one or two branches that a little pruning would go along way. The one on the corner...that one's going to be interesting, and even more so, making all parties involved happy.

how about you convince her.. the left one is the coolest its looked in 50 years ... and she should just enjoy it for what it is .. lol ...

and that she should leave the rest alone ... or get rid of them ...

frankly.. no matter what you do.. theres a good chance.. she isnt going to end up happy ... lol..

if she want them topped.. get it in writing.. that she insisted.. and gave you free rein ... dont want some child or grand kid coming along and claiming you bamboozled grandma ...

ken

ps: is there a tree growing in the middle of the left one.. or is that the dead bare inside???

I would limb them all up to 'make them look more like the other normal trees on the property', make sure the owner agrees.

The two trees besides the walkway to the door limbed up to the same height of 7' so nobody pokes an eye out, also giving the entrance a somewhat formal look, especially if you can find a single stem of each with substantial volume of foliage. This alone would be the single biggest improvement, IMHO.

The other trees on the far left and far right limbed up at various heights for aesthetics, depending on what you find as you work your way up, work slowly. The splayed out branches of the tree on the far left tend to be lower ones that you would cut off anyway.

Again work slowly, and perhaps alternating from tree to tree, to achieve an overall deliberate look. I would definitely try to give the biggest visual, aesthetic and functional weight to the two trees besides the walkway to the door. I would also try to give the other two trees a light weight, accent type of appearance. Alternatively, I may leave the tree closest to the garage alone, and use its fat look for a contrasting counterpoint to the other three limbed up trees (if so, the bigger the contrast the better, within reason)

It all depends on the internal structures of the trees, and how you manage to take advantage of them according to your own sense of aesthetics, but there are very good chances for an overall improvement, IMHO. In fact, there is nothing better than mature specimens that you can shape, good luck!

First, thanks for al who commented. Cutting them down to 6 ft was a little more than she had in mind. I got the idea that she wanted a 'haircut' that didn't look like a haircut. IOW: make them look presentable without doing a 'scalp' job. So I lopped about 4 ft off the top and tied up the rest. There was already 35 yds of assorted rope inside these trees from multiples attempts to help them. And yes, the insides were a lot of dead wood, shaded out by the outsides.

She seemed to think they looked good and I told here I didn't want anything for doing it.

I told her I was the one that had to look at them. :-) . She's a nice person to have for a neighbor. Lost here husband last year and then had a mastectomy six months ago.

Still after telling her I didn't want to get paid, she left an envelope with the Mrs. and told her not to open it until I was done. You guessed it, cash, about twice what I would've ask for. Oh well, if she's that determined... Next time those trees need help, it's chain saw time.

There was already 35 yds of assorted rope inside these trees from multiples attempts to help them.

==>>> not sure i would go at them with a chainsaw.. due to things buried in the tree ... just be very careful if you insist ...

i dont like it.. but hey.. if shes happy.. good for her.. they are hers.. not mine ...

you are a good neighbor.. keep it up.. it helps with karma..

ken

Yeah, the trees have Bill's halo on them.

I don't like it either, there is a reason why I went into some detail on how to limb up, but it is now water under the bridge anyway.

"I would limb them all up to 'make them look more like the other normal trees on the property', "

Limbing up arborvitaes would be the last thing I'd attempt. They'd look ridiculous!! the only times one would see arbs looking like that would be if the deer got to the lower portions and that never is a good look.

Some of the splayed branching looks too far gone to be recoverable - those should be removed. And carefully tie up the other, multi-leadered specimens to prevent further snow damage. These will need to be checked periodically to avoid any girdling - using old pantyhose or some material with a lot of flex will help to avoid that. Trimming back lightly to shape should be fine, as will lowering the tops....but not too far back.

If the last photo is an 'after" shot, you did a very nice job! They look 100% better.

Bill, looks like about the best you could've done.