My beast grew untamed for 13 years. I always thought it was a good shield between the house and the dirt road. It reached 30 feet high and 15 feet wide. It's only saving grace was obscuring the view and catching some of the dust from the road. It finally started to encroach on the driveway and the wife complained daily that it was an eyesore and needed to be trimmed. My brother and I went at it with a machete, an axe and a chainsaw. It took us two days to get it to this. Still ugly and as I looked down the years to come was going to be a pain in the butt to maintain. We also had a clump of bamboo that was getting out of control and at my wife's urging we hired a backhoe to rip out the hedge and the bamboo. Best damn decision I've ever...my wife ever, made me decide. The root systems are not extensive even for a 30 foot laurel. It only took 45 minutes to rip out 18 of these bad boys. It's been three years and this is what the area looks like today. It will take a few more years for the rhodies to grow up and partially block the view from the road and I really don't notice dust. Everyday I drive up to our place I'm greeted by this nice view and my wife is very happy.

Cleveland select pear - Noooo o o o o . . . For many reasons it really isn't a great tree. It's invasive in native woodlands in much of the country (something you said wanted to avoid), the blossoms smell dreadful, and the wood is prone to winter damage. Here are some pears near me after a wet autumn snow. I had a few broken lilac branches, but none of my trees other than some of the scrappier white pines had broken branches, and I saw no other trees that were severely enough damaged to need to be removed as these needed to be. If you search these trees on the tree forum you will only get a very few positives vs. many many negative comments. The dogwoods I mentioned in the post yesterday would be much better choices. My Kousa dogwoods have color that rivals the pear and mine has been healthy until last winter's -22 (at least) killed the buds, though it is still working on leafing out now. That shouldn't be an issue for you. If you do go for the crabapple, do a web search to be sure it is a disease resistant variety. As far as the holly - I much prefer holly over yew. I can't grow it here without winter damage, but at least some varieties are hardy in your area. Be sure you get an appropriate boy holly to pollenate your females to get berries. China Boy is supposed to be appropriate for China Doll, but I couldn't find specific hardiness info on China Doll. I think the combination of holly and Hydrangea will be handsome, with the Hydrangea providing summer bloom and the holly providing winter green along with berries for the first part of the winter (before the birds eat them.) I don't know what you mean by barn stone, so I can't answer that part. Where ever you plant the hedges, be sure they are set back far enough so you can see oncoming traffic as you pull out of your driveway.

What's at the base of the rock wall? Sidewalk? Tearing out the root structures that are anchoring the hillside might compromise the strength of that wall. Is that wall contiguous with the two properties to either side of your house? If so, how do they have their sloped properties landscaped? Working on a steep slope is a job for the experienced landscape renovation crew. For now, get an identification of the upper shrub hedge and leave it in place until you put together several quotes from recommended landscape professionals and work up a budget. Yes, early fall is the better time for plant installations. If you're brave, take a long handled strong metal tined rake and see what's hiding under the pile of burlap. Might be as simple as an old tree stump. But, a pile of anything on the ground is a haven for critters and the snakes they attract.

Where are you? That might make a big difference :-) Here English laurel is very widely planted, both as a more manicured hedge as well as a free-form screening plant. And often in shade, as it is extremely shade tolerant. But it is also borderline invasive here, as birds eat the berries and then deposit them all over. It is not uncommon to see English laurel seedlings (as well as holly) popping up in greenbelts and woodlands all over the area. And since this is a recurring summer drought area as well, it can get by without any summer irrigation. Japanese laurel, Aucuba japonica, is also good for this sort of usage if that is appropriate to your zonal conditions.