Severe pruning of conifers

I've just moved into a new home and there's this "rockery that was" which is overgrown with some conifers. Should I give them a severe pruning to reveal what's beneath (such as a small conifer and a lovely Pinus glaucous) and maybe other submerged treasures? 

Mum's right, but as you say, there may be some treasures lurking underneath...

We have the same problem, although self-inflicted, in that we need to chop some conifers back, as there's a lovey fuscia, dying to get out!

Pruning from the bottom, tight against the ground would make for a lot of brown to start with, but at least there would be some space, and you may just find something you could encourage! We've found that the brown stems/branches usually cover up, and disguise their bare legs..:0~

(Growster, that's enough...).

As others have suggested a gentle trim is about all you could do.  Conifer rockeries were a real 1980's fashion, but of course now they have all grown  in the ensuing years.  It is a shame I rather like them.
Perhaps, you could consider removing the ones at the front, then you could plant something there and it might hide where you trim the back ones.   I bet you find lots of lovely rockery stones    Mrs Bouquet

If you love conifers I would just give them a gentle trim, but if you would like a more varied display then personally I would give them a severe haircut as they would appear to have outgrown their allotted space.  If they grow back into smaller, less overpowering shrubs - great, if not, as you say you can always dig them out and replace them with something more inspiring.
You can no doubt tell that I'm not a conifer lover, but my husband thinks they are wonderful.  Each to his own taste, and it's your garden now, so make it what you want it to be.
Good luck, and happy gardening.

Hello be careful cutting back conifers I was helping  an old man trim horizontal conifers on what we thought was a rockery he was stood on a branch sawed through it and went up to his neck in water there was a 30 foot×10 foot fish pond under the conifers, jezza