I certainly hope not!

If they were all touching and made a solid green wall....maybe. Like that...no.

I was so shocked I didn't take a picture. But no, they were more spaced apart. However, maybe in a few years they could grow that way (though I don't think that was my friends' original idea).

Arborists hopefully only do this sort of thing when a home owner has chosen the wrong size shrub/tree for the space. Not a good look or practice. The right plant for the right space is my motto, of course some are either mislabeled or outgrow the listed size.

There's a home near me with a row of arbs spaced apart. The owners shear what they can reach to keep a separation between the arbs. Above arm's reach the arbs fill out and grow together. It looks silly to me but it's their choice. So maybe arb abuse is pretty common.

Lopping them off only looks good when it is done like this:

My first thought exactly,

haha!

Okay, see the following photos for the actual "look"...

"Does anyone like this look?"

Yes, a lot of people. Back when I was a professional pruner, customers asked me to to do this ALL THE TIME. I find it horrific, and I always tried to talk them out of it or suggest a more selective approach, but sometimes it came down to: do the work and get paid -- or walk away.

Do you think it was because they liked the half tree look, or they really wish that they had chosen a tree that topped out much smaller? Or were they aiming for the topiary walled shrub look?

Oh, who knows why really, probably a combination of things. I often felt that they were trying to project an image of being the tidy neighbor, the one who does not let things get out of hand. That, and some type of OCD, where "crisp lines" are always a good thing, even when it comes to plants.

And no, nobody wants to admit that they chose the wrong plant. But usually people chose the "wrong" plant because of price/size at planting: "I'm going to buy 20 of these Leyland Cypress and plant them 6 inches from my neighbor, look how huge they are, and cheap!"

Looks like the old crew-cuts men/boys used to get in the 50s and 60s.

It is very common around here. I don't even like to see a single arb being used at house corners.

that is an not arborist.. its a guy with cutters and chainsaw who doesnt know what the **** hes doing and is proud to brag about it ...

what an idiot..

and as to your friends.. two thumbs up for not telling them.. lol ...

ken

Either way, chopped off or not, I don’t like the look, but I don’t like Arborvitae at all. Even though I have two planted way before I knew anything about plants/bushes/gardening. Every year I swear I am going to have them removed and then it doesn’t happen, due to other priorities. Oh well…..

debra

Looks harsh, rounding off the tops would have made for a significant improvement!

I am unpleasantly reminded of my teeth.

Rosa, a good chuckle to go with my morning coffee !! :)

Yes, in a formal garden like This and for the movie Heaven can wait with Warren Beatty, and the series Dynasty. Fabulous location.

-Babka

I grew a row of arbs like those once. I wanted then to grow together to make a screen. When they do finally blend together, there are some overlapping side branches that die from lack of sunlight hitting them. It looks like they may have cut them back so the sides could get sunlight. It would need to be repeated every few years. My row of arbs was just getting to that point where they would screen completely, when they all mysteriously died. Some of their side branches were already dying at that point. The arbs pictured will fill in within 2 years, I'd say.