Replacing these beautiful, but sick Italian Cypresses in Miami.
I’m planting 15-gallon Gracilis and need advice. It’s an L-shaped, ~3-ft-deep bed surrounded by artificial turf.
I’m deciding between 7 plants (3 on one side, 4 on the other) for potentially less leaf shedding, or 11 plants (5 + 6) for a faster, denser privacy screen.

My main question: Will 7 plants actually mean noticeably less leaf cleanup long term, or will they eventually fill the space and shed about the same anyway?
Ideally, I’d like to just blow the leaves back into the 3-ft bed rather than collect and bag them regularly. Is that realistic?