My yard was once very sunny, and I had a veggie patch and lots of roses. It could have won the tidy yard award.
But the oak and maples and the pines and cypress and spruce all grew bigger and shaded out my medium-small yard.
The patio was once in full sun, now it gets some sun for maybe an hour a day. 
Things have grown on their own, too, like these butterfly bushes that just appeared (I planted one and now have four.) I just mow a narrow path through my back yard with a push mower. Weeds are everywhere and many, many people have suggested I hire a landscaper. An opossum seems to live in my backyard now, and there are a few deer napping under trees, bunnies of all sizes are in the tall weeds, a woodchuck mom with her babies hangs out. Every time I walk through the yard some wild animal pops up. The trees are noisy with birds. We seem to have a big population of chipmunks and squirrels, too. 
This large lilac is leaning sideways trying to get to some sunshine. When I planted it, it was in the sun. Not anymore. On the plus side, I use less water, and I don't have to protect plants from wildlife. If a deer eats a rose bush down to a nub, I just say bon appétit. Someday I'll plan and dig and prune and plant a civilized garden again, but for now I'll just enjoy the shade. (I did get several cuttings from the leaning lilac, and they are thriving in the sun in other people's well-kept yards.)
