With the help of DH and a couple dear friends, I now have a completely black front lawn. We spread black plastic over all of the old weeds, in preparation for my new yard (next summer). I am severely allergic to grass, so the back yard will stay grass for the dogs, but the front yard will be all 'curly thyme'. It is a short ground cover that a sweet neighbor showed me in her yard. It spreads on it's own, and stays short, and chokes out the weeds. (And smells wonderful when walked on.) In the summer, it has itty-bitty flowers all over it. I'm tired and sore, but thrilled to begin working on the outside of the house next year, now that the inside is all finished.