Hi Mixie, glad you made it over here from our FB conversation. Hope you enjoy this site as much as I do! If you feel like adding a city/state and/or zone to your profile info, it will show up automatically next to your name. Here's the zone may for TN, if you're not sure what zone you are in.
http://www.plantmaps.com/inter...

I've gardened in OH, and now in AL near FL border, so don't feel qualified to advise for how any particular plant might do in your area, but wish you luck finding some suitable & appealing candidates!

Hello Mixie! I used to own 20 acres near Collinwood. W. Tennessee is a great place. Here in Alabama I have wild violets in shady spots, and also spiderwort. I recommend finding a source of card board (like a refrigerator sales place, and laying out your boundaries and paths with it. it has to be renewed every year, but it is a great way to de-weed even some serious weeds. You can mulch over the cardboard, if it offends.

I was thinking the same thing. Since the length of residency is uncertain, I thought that mulching part of the yard would be cost effective. The cardboard/mulch thing should kill off the creeping Charlie but I think the poison ivy might have to be removed since it's quite tough. Establishing plants over the whole lawn area would be quite overwhelming but maybe doing it in sections would be easier.

Is your poison ivy on the ground, or climbing. Mine is mainly climbing, and I find that if I cut it off at the base (I use a sharpened shovel) after a year or so it does give up. i have ivy on the ground--english ivy, and Im using cardboard on it. It is mainly propagated by birds who plant the seeds all over the place. So if you can get it under control before the seeds ripen you are ahead of the game. But if the birds plant more seeds, it will be back.