So, very little trimming is the only answer? I know we have holes. I told my husband to see if he could stick his head into a hole. We were teasing of course, holes not that big.

Those are nice specimens. Maybe planted too close, but I think I’d leave them as is. Turning sideways to pass through a couple of interesting spruce is a small price to pay IMHO.

They do give some nice privacy, but my husband bemoans the fact that during the Winter, sometimes it's a pain getting through that space even with our smaller snowblower. I did look at how much I may be able to trim on the bigger bush---maybe a couple inches cuz on those branches, pretty green far in. I know from the comment above, not to trim to the brown. Debating.....Makes me nervous.

Remove them; They're very badly sited. And if you want privacy, rethink the whole area.

Could you make a new sidewalk? Rip out that one,make a new one that goes around the trees, off to the side? Then maybe add some other plants to accompany the two spruces...

bart bart.....uhm, no.

lacyvail, not an option to remove them. I actually enjoy them, my question was about trimming them.

please don't dismiss bart bart's suggestion. You have two handsome Dw. Alberta Spruce that are irreplaceable. Consider a new sidewalk.

sam, I appreciate the advice, but not to get into my personal life, but we will probably be moving, Lord Willing in the next year, so really am not into adding sidewalk at this point. No dissing intended. I know it sounded a little snarky, sorry.

More close-up photos of the branches would help. Have someone hold one of the branches that you brush against to show how far back into the tree the branch has green needles.

apple pie, think it may be doable, cuz I did look & it goes quite aways in on a lot of those branches before turning brown. I just don't want a squared off bush.

Pruning individual branches back to one or two green side branches can be done to give a more natural, less boxy appearance. If you practice with the lowest branches at a level knee height or so, it will give you some experience judging where to cut and where not to cut.

If you decide not to do anything before you sell next year, the new owners can decide what they want.

first ... it picea glauca conica .. more commonly known as dwarf alberta spruce .. really helps to use the proper name.. when searching info

https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffcm&q=picea+glauca+conica&iax=images&ia=images

flip to the ALL side if you want info links ...

second ... the greatest problem with these.. is most peeps dont understand.. that that cute little babe they buy.. is a tree .. aka conifer.. and frankly.. never stops growing ... as yours has ...

they are prone to a host of problems .. which apparently yours has missed so far.. so congrats on that ... they suffer from wet snow and ice loads in winter.. and the biggest hassle is spider mites ... causing giant brown dead patches ... this probably explains the holes you already have ...

https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffcm&q=picea+glauca+conica&iax=images&ia=images

its not hard to fix that.. but eventually.. they just get ugly ...

frankly... right now.. this is a marriage issue.. lol .. you and he man are going to have to come to some agreement on when these things have to go ..in say.. the next 5 years ...

with trees.. tree time in counted in decades .. but i am sure.. in 5 years.. it will close off the walkway ... and you will be at that point in time to do the nasty ...

and i fear.. pruning or trimming.. will just speed that time table .. no matter how well you do it ...

sooo ... nothing need be done.. but wrapping your head around the fact.. that sooner or later.. they will have to go ... i will spare you my opinion.. because you already said you dont want to hear it.. lol.. and all the power to you ...

ken

If you are planning on moving next year anyway, I wouldn't mess with them at all. Just deal with it being like that for one last winter then let the next owners decide what they would like to do about them.

Thanks Ken, very interesting & helpful. We don't plan on being in our home I would like to say 1-2 years from now, Lord-Willing. So 5 years is doable for these bushes, the next owners will probably rip them out. My friend planted these over 20 years ago & didn't know as much about plants/trees as she does now.

Nickjoseph,I didn't think it was "snarky" of you to say "no" to my suggestion! but it DID make me curious to know why it was out of the question, and now I do know, lol. If you're planning on moving, of course it'd make no sense to fool around with a major project like building a new sidewalk. Still, I agree with those who say just to put up with it for now,because they are nice trees,and it takes so long for a tree to grow, and what if the new owners are plant lovers and consider them a positive feature of the property? Just my opinion...

bart bart, appreciate this!