Try and trim back, or be more radical?

I have two lavatera at the back of my garden, one of which has been getting out of hand. It lives behind Little Controller's trampoline, and to be honest I haven't much bothered about it - it filled a space quite nicely, and is one of the few things I could think of that would survive and thrive next to the thief that lives in the corner.

Now, it was encroaching so far onto lawn area that the trampoline was coming further forward, and it had also got so wide that it was nearly half the width of the garden. So, after cutting the grass, I decided to get the secateurs out............. not the best move in the world, as it revealed that a trim might not be sufficient.


In the picture above, you will see a rose that its pretty much in line with the path - - the lavatera came across that far. The real problem is that behind the top foliage it is pretty much bare:




Now, I am quite happy to have a lavatera in this position, but not as large - and I fully accept that this is entirely of my own making for not trimming the blighter back last year.

So, do I:

a) trim it back a wee bit more, trying to prop the main stems up a bit and hope that it grows into a better shape

b) give it a semi-severe haircut, and see if it throws out any new growth from the main stems over the summer

c) hack it back to ground level, pinch a couple of cuttings and start again and just leave the stump where it is

d) hack it back and dig it out completely, then replace with another from cuttings or perhaps swap for something that will go up more than out (buddleia?)

 

Thanks @NigelJ

I have three XXXL Dahlias to go in the space to the right of the lavatera this year, so even if it has a bare year whilst it recovers I am none too fussed.