This is such a tough decision! I really don't like the idea of a fence but we need a secure boundary. It's the amount that has to come off the leylandii every year that is part of the problem, they just put on so much growth! Plus I don't really like the look of them. If we put up a sturdy chicken wire fence between us and the neighbours, and planted a different evergreen hedge our side of it we'd still have to get behind the plants in that border to trim it each year, but are there other evergreens that would be slower growing, resulting in less to trim off? Granted, we'd have to wait a few years for them to reach six foot, which is what we want for privacy... What about laurel, or privet? Anyone had experience of either of those? If we can't find a plant that fits the bill we will have to go with the plan of fence plus evergreen climbers.
The bottom line is that you don't really like them and hate cutting hedges, so get rid of them. I did suggest to another forum contributor that if she cut off all the branches, she could then use the trunks for support, putting horizontal posts/left over thick branches along the top from one trunk to the next and making a kind of lengthy pergola. You could then train clematis, honeysuckle etc up some trunks and along the top to give you more privacy. Would that work in your case? Might be cheaper!
You're right Hogweed, we have three dogs and need to ensure they are contained. Lizzie, I think your suggestion sounds sweet, but it wouldn't give us the privacy we want.
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Why, out of interest?