i have stone in one bed, and it seems like thats where i do the most weeding. i am a total noob when it comes to landscaping a whatnot. I wouldnt do well on the gameshow "flower or weed." i really have mostly just had grass at previous homes. But i'm gonna have a hard time ripping all the landscaping out around here.....the PO was loved by all the neighbors and all of them have told me how much he cared for the outside, and all his wonderful flowers/shrubs/plants, and how great the place looks when everything is in bloom. I doubt anybody is going to come up to me and say "i think that asphalt looks way better in those planters than any of those shrub/bushes/flowers that were there."
I really did think about cutting my own lawn, but that would require me to go out and purchase lawn equipment, and there is no fucking way a push mower would be on the shopping list, i would want to sit and get it done fast, so i would buy some fancy thing like you have. And then i would have to get a new shed since the existing one is in less than stellar shape, and is super damp inside, and there is no way im putting a mower in the garage. The cars would be pissed. With what the lawn elves charge me, it would be years before i was in the black on the mower anyways, and i am more than happy sitting on my porch watching the grass grow instead of mowing it.