We completely dug up/tilled up the entire yard. Our yard is on a hill/slope, so we are putting in one strip of new lawn about 6 feet wide and about 30 feet long at the top, and the entire rest of the yard is garden. At this time, we are completely lawn-less. I had to have a REAL garden this year and realized the other day I have like 150 plants in the ground. Not counting seeds I've scattered. Hehehe. Oops.
You can also grow crops amidst you flowers in the front yard. Many are pretty to look at. Sweet potatoes make a vast pretty ground cover. So. I would never tell you to stop.