In separate parts of my yard I have used different lawn removal methods including: herbicides, digging out the mat of grasses (~1" deep), and just scraping off the very top clumps with some roots after a long period of not watering. Afterward, in all cases except for the deep digging to 1", I've laid down newspaper or cardboard on all bare soil and around newly planted plants and then put down mulch or sand on top of that. The desired effect is to have to do very little weeding after the removal. In general, this has been very effective. However, in the southern facing, sunny sections of the yard and places where it was previously difficult to mow, I've had to do more weeding than I'd like, which brings me to my next lawn removal method.
For the next part of the lawn, I'm trying solarization to kill the weeds and grass as well as their seeds. It's a bit of an experiment since most of what I've read recommends basically tilling the area first. However, the previous owner of the house put down gravel here, making it difficult to dig things up. I figure the plastic will have to stay on for 3 or more months, especially since the temperatures are not consistently high at this time of year in coastal Southern California. Perhaps not an option for a front yard, but viable for the back if you don't mind the look or don't need to use it.
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