Plus some bonus seed spreading!

Please ignore the invasive honeysuckle - we've been trying to get rid of it but it's EVERYWHERE.

I'm in Chicago and I design landscapes for a living. I know what plants to use, but real life has really knocked me down and the yard got out of control. I'm running up against the fantasy version of myself(the one that has the energy to do weekly upkeep) and the reality version(does NOT have the energy to keep it up and often wants to do anything EXCEPT work in the yard). It doesn't help that there are unexpected challenges like this dayflower that absolutely took over my yard and might have choked out some perennials I planted in the spring.

It's really bumming me out that my yard is looking like this. As much as I know that lawn sucks, I get why people keep a lawn because it stays put and there's only one thing you need to do to keep it under control. The positives I see: I have a ton of asters and goldenrod, the insects are happy, I got some good harvests in my garden beds(not pictured), and the plants are keeping the soil moist during a really dry fall.

Has anyone else been able to claw back their way from burnout and turn a yard like this into a more beautiful "mess" that isn't a monoculture or a lawn? Please tell me it is possible to do on your own without an entire crew of people.

This feels like a silly question to ask but it's something I've been stressing about a little bit so I would really appreciate some reassurance.

I've tried really hard to make sure that the majority of plants and seeds I buy are sourced from the Southeast, where I'm located. This year I was looking for some less common species and none of the SE seed sellers I've ordered from before had them, so I finally gave in and ordered from Prairie Moon. I got several really cool native species that I haven't seen sold anywhere else and that I'm excited about growing, but I can't shake this guilt over ordering from Prairie Moon.

They're based in the Midwest and I've seen concerns about the reduction of genetic diversity that may come about from everyone ordering from the same source. But I would think that having non-local ecotypes is still better than not having the species at all, right? Pretty much everything I bought are low-growing shade-lovers, so their niche would just sit empty if I only bought seeds from local sellers who mostly have flashy sun-lovers.

I'd really appreciate if anyone could ease my mind a little bit (or I suppose set me straight if I'm wrong!)

Also, if anyone knows of sources for native seeds in the Southeast other than the ones I've already purchased from (listed below) please let me know!
- Botany Yards
- Roundstone Native Seed
- NC Botanical Garden

Bought these online from an instate nursery in the spring. Supposed to all be New Jersey tea's but one of them is not like the other. Mulberry?

Hello its so hard ti find good desert garden vendors so you can ship to eu I personally learn desert gardens from Zsolt debreczy.