Beginner Gardening: Mulch madness...I don't won't grass...need help, 1 by nongardener65

nongardener65 wrote:
We live in a 2-yr-old cabin in the woods of N. Ga. In front of the cabin is a huge mound of dirt, mostly red clay and dirt. It is covered in mulch, but each rain washes some of the mulch away and some little weeds are starting. I have planted a couple of fir-type trees and some cedar-type shrubs on the mound for privacy. Also on top of the mound are some big rocks and I recently put a bird bath there. It really looks like someone with no eye for landscaping lives here! I admit it! Grass would be a problem, but I can't replace the mulch all the time. Some of my shrubs are showing signs of dying. I don't know what to do with those, either. More plants might entice the deer so I have kept that to a minimum. Does anyone have any suggestions to help my grassless landscaping? I'm sending a picture, so don't laugh...have pity! Oh yes, the cabin has mulch all around it, too.