With winter approaching, my parents have surprised me with a very nice early birthday present. They hired a pro gardener to take care of my large but overwhelming backyard. My partner and I have been in maintenance mode with it since we bought the place, but never really stamped our mark on it. This guy has come along, trimmed the hedges right back, dealt with the weeds, and took care of the massive compost pile that was sitting up the back, comprised mainly of things that are not degrading. He estimates about 5 years of stuff has been piled onto it and honestly I was just ignoring it as best i can; especially as we hadn't added to the pile since we took over ownership. It's now gone, and I have a nice large section like a blank canvas! First project, build an actual compost bin. Once spring hits, I'll be ready..