i'm taking out hardscape/pathways any chance i get. i like having more flexibilty when gardening and i don't like wasting space on paths that need to be maintained, weeded, etc. every edge is work and gets in the way. combining gardens means i can change the spacing of plants or rotate crops within a space easier. also with the clay, every time i have to go out of a garden i have to change shoes so i'm not tracking mud around so the more work i do within one garden the better...
the old shed looks amazing with that moss and i love the old stacked stone fences like the one you have, but yes, those are work and there is a great degree of skill in it. however, that all said i have read some good works on how to do it (at one time i aspired to be a mason/stone work type of person) and it's possible to learn.
you've made a lot of progress. i hope you can get a new place of your own sooner rather than later...