In article , Sacha
writes
Perhaps people take better care of beech hedges because they don't take so
much care and that is because they don't grow at such a terrific rate.

perhaps there are just fewer beech hedges?

There are a huge number of leylandii and other conifer hedges - a small
proportion not looked after would numerically be much larger than a
similar proportion of other hedges.

And don't forget the bandwagon effect. Leylandii complaints are the 'in
thing' atm.
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"