I am thinking....

Grow some climbing beans/peas perhaps in a suitable container, they could usefully cover the trunks for this summer, might give you time to firm up any ideas you might have.

Just ordered some Sugar Magnolia sugar snap peas to hide an ugly water butt. It's supposed to be a vigorous climber and looks very pretty, and it's said to be tasty.

 

Ivy takes a year or two to get established before it really takes off so will only give you limited cover initially @Fat Controller. I think I’d go down the raised bed route with suitable plants to give cover for most of the year. A tall, columnar grass like Calamagrostis Karl Foerster will grow to 1.5m in a growing season and retain interest over winter. I’ve grown a hedge of it in my front garden. It is self levelling, all plants stopping when they’ve reached their optimal height. You could also include some tall perennials or annuals for colour, like Verbena bonariensis, Heleniums or Salvia Amistad for example.

 

Some of the brighter ivies would work @Fat Controller - Sulphur Heart etc, but I think tidying the main trunks as best you can, and a container of some kind will be easier - and a bit quicker, especially if the ground's drier. Some annual climbers maybe?

 

Certainly clearing those trunks will be a huge improvement.

 

If you are going to take them out eventually, it probably isn't worth planting anything permanent such as ivy. You'd need to keep the area watered etc. , so therefore more maintenance required.

I would clean the trunks and all the stuff from in between them (wear a mask and goggles), tidy any stray green bits and admire your handiwork.
It will never be a thing of beauty, but call it a garden feature and no one would dare to disagree.
Then start saving to get them taken out.

 

Build the planters. Plant something colourful/edible in it. A hard no on ivy, you'll learn to hate more than the conifers...plus you can lose all the shhh, er, rubbish...in the bottom of the planters

 

I’d definitely clean the trunks so they are less messy. I’d then plant something or have a. Planter in front. For me, I think growing something up them, especially colourful, would just draw my eye to them even more