So when we bought the house in 2009 it didn't come with an instruction manual for the yard. The first year I didn't know what was a plant and what was a weed. Yes plants are weeds! So after a few years of trying to maintain the amazing flower gardens I went ahead and did the Crider thing and rotor tilled it all. There is no yard problem a rotor tiller can't fix. Then I planted the bushes (per Janis in the wrong spots) with the goal of them growing into each other. Also made sure they were SLOW growing plants. It took 5 years but they did eventually grow into each other year and Janny was happy.