If they were in the ground I would wait and see if they re-grow, but 10 years is a long time to keep shrubs in the same containers... you've had good utility from them, maybe now is the time to refresh the containers, the soil, and the plants.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
Oh and I really like Stephen's suggestion about using beech (although we're too late for bare root now sadly). It's much cheaper so you could almost view it as expendable. You could plant 3-4 ft whips quite densely for 'instant effect'
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
That was my thought exactly @Loxley, and while bare root season is gone, you can still buy potted specimens, and maybe the 'rootball' type which are lifted and bagged in hessian, at excellent sale prices from hedging specialists -I know some have as much as 50% off just now. I'd still buy bare root privet from places like Hopes Grove as I trust the totally. It's almost indestructible, and currently costs hardly anything.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
There seems to be an assumption that my planters are too small and that has generated conversation snippets which are leading in a wrong direction. To clarify, the planters are the same size as the other 6 I have that continue along the wall, which have happily contained 'cubed' Buxus for the past 10 years (cultivated in Holland and bought from a local nursery that specialised only in Buxus, before they went bust years later due to the moth epidemic). Each of these meter-long planters has two Buxus cubes in it, which are each made up of 4 plants. Two Buxus cubes just about squeezed into each planter widthways and also into the planter's depth (with a little room for top dressing each year). Each cube was and still is about 50cm by 50cm by about 70cm high. Although of course they quickly took the appearance of one hedge per planter - of 100cm x 50cm x 70cm H. They are covered in new growth and I reckon they're the most healthy buxus in Surrey. Anyway, I digress... conclusively my planters are a fine size for hedges!
I'm convinced the drastically cut-back Pittosporums will survive, so we have decided to remove them and give the responsibility to my parents to look after in their garden. I've decided that in their place, in the same planters, I will create my own hedges most likely out of Euonymus Japonicus (maybe Green Spire, Evergreen Spindle or Microphyllus), which I particularly like the look of and it would look great as a continuation of the line of Buxus. Yes I know I originally said that I want privacy but not a dense hedge. Well, we are scrapping that idea. There's no doubt that a full run along the entire wall of bright green hedge would look best.
Just a thought - there's a big difference between the root depth needed for dwarf box (Buxus suffruticosa which is the one normally used for topiary shapes) and the root space needed for Pittospormum Silver Queen which is a tall variety by nature (wants to get to 3 metres or so in height). I hope yours recover and do well in their new home.
Euonymus are easy, tolerant and respond well to clipping so they could be a good choice (the same may be true of Ilex crenata but I haven't grown that).
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
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I'd still buy bare root privet from places like Hopes Grove as I trust the totally. It's almost indestructible, and currently costs hardly anything.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...