Conifers - 40ft tall losing shape

Sorry for the poor description to follow. It is only my third thread on Gardenerscorner.
I will try to post photos later.

I've started to take a keen interest in our garden, apart from the normal buy a few cheap plants here and there and then plant them anywhere. Over time I've trying to take back control of several trees and potted plants around the garden.

Next on the agenda are two large 40ft tall conifers (not leylandii), which are quite slow growing. They are not the type to be cut. Unfortunatly though, they have started to loose shape as the branches become too heavy. This has led to gaps appearing and both trees growing several flailing arms (so to speak). I've tried tying these back and reducing the density but they still keep falling out. Next option is to cut them off completely, but Im unsure if they will grow back???

Obviously difficult to make a comment on, so I'll try to post some pictures when I get home to give you a better idea.

 

Slightly tangential thoughts:

Confiers tend to have a "young habit" and a "mature habit", and the two can be quite different.

If they are clipped, like a hedge or topiary, they can retain their young habit.

But once they grow to trees the baby fluff :D changes to mature branches. The way the needles / leaves are formed changes too.

That might be what you are seeing?

I've got some upright yews - an Irish one, for example. That has lots of upward growing stems, and they tend to flop - particularly with the weight of any snow. I've put a wire right around the hold lot to hold them in and keep them tidy. You can't actually see the wire any more. Dunno if that woudl work in your situation?

But, yeah ... a photo would help :thumb:

 

hello lazymonkey. in my previous garden ,i had 3 very large conifers, they would be about 40 feet.
i had 2 green and 1 gold in the middle. i planted them at the bottom of the garden.they grew that dense they started to intertwine, they where so dense. i planted them from the pot from a garden centre.they where lovely at xmas time,as i would add lights and ornaments,that was before they where 40 feet tall! i hired a gardener to trim them down (as i did not know where to start). the gardener cut around 15 feet from the trees.he trimmed branches,cut to shape and they came back to shape (in time).you mention gaps,this lad cut the branches to shape,he did not just lob off 15 feet.
my advice would be get someone who knows about tree cutting/trimming they will be worth saving.
best of luck , music.