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Thanks! I did include 3 pics originally. Here's the shed.

No pictures.

Thanks for the idea! I have some of that already in a different location and it definitely does spread, for better or for worse. I'm only concerned that it won't be effective enough at keeping out the weeds...

Any thoughts on planting rhododendrons along the edge of the overgrowth as a fence to block it out? I don't have much experience with them but my husband thinks they will grow fast and big.

I would need to see the rest of the yard just like in interiors exteriors need to planned as a whole.Landscape fabric does not keep weeds out at all the wind blows dirt and dust the birds poop out seeds and the weeds grow the only thing I have found that works is a good fast growing ground colver that allows very few weeds to grow. I like vinca it is evergreen , flowers in the spring and grows fast. I live in Zone 6 in Canada the vince works beautifully.

Are the rocks buried enough that you can mow the area? If they are, I'd just plant grass. If nothing grows on the rocks, so be it.

You mow or you weed. And as you have found out, the bothersome weeds aren't dandelions but trees.

I do have vinca, too. I think I have every kind of ground cover in my gardens and I still have weeds. We have about 10 acres and a landscaped area around a pool, so it's really a lot to maintain - primarily day lilies, russian sage, lavender, butterfly bushes, knockout roses, lots of liriope, some evergreens, lots of oak leaf hydrangea, some nandina bamboo, magnolias, cherry trees, and tons of black-eyed Susans because they pop up everywhere! It's hard to see the rocks from these pics (I had to make them small so they would load) but they aren't buried enough to mow... Mad, you are correct about mowing or weeding! Now I am considering doing some dirt/topsoil to back fill some of the areas so that we can plant grass...??

What did you end up doing?
I have a lot of areas like this, and I continue with layers of (stolen) bags of leaves in the fall, cardboard, sometimes pine fines, sometimes mulch. But I keep layering. I don't try to grow anything there, so I know I can vinegar the sprouts.

Keeping in mind vinegar changes the PH in the soil, so if you're trying to plant, don't do it. No matter what Pinterest says.

In some areas, I've planted plumbago. It's great, pretty ground cover with beautiful blue flower. It turns red in the fall.