I think, if you don't care for weeding regularly then heavy mulch is your only answer. Gardening isn't just about digging holes, it's about maintenance to keep it looking good, and also to gain as much food as you can. The weeds compete for the food space. You are going to have to buckle down and at least do some weeding.
With that said, in your setting, can you make your own mulches? Do you have to chip branches that fall? Can you collect mown grass in a bagger and use that as your mulch? A layer of cardboard or newsaper and then a few inches of mulch will take care of your problems for your growing season, for the most part. Plant the things you love (as listed above) in the mulched areas for ground cover and hope that it helps for the weeds. I set aside "weed time" , and go at it at very specific times of the year. My garden is relatively weed free, as long as it's weeded regularly. But you are right to look for things that compete with weeds. Buckwheat and red cover are two others (and can be turned under and incorporated into the soil).
As for the shrubs: I cant speak to deer proof, but Nanking Cherries are very cold hardy and might make great edible shrubs for you. Have you thought of perhaps rose bushes that grow hips, or Goumi, however they get very wide, so you must plan on the space they take up. Checking out Raintree Nursery will be of help to you, at least for edible hedges.

GGG- Thanks for the response! I don't mind weeding inside the garden, but I'm trying to cut back on the outside of the fence. I was hoping that the plants would spread out and shade the weeds, but I think I might need more plants! LOL

The deer do nibble on the blueberries a little (not the strawberries, surprisingly) but I think the more I mix stuff in that they don't like, the more they'll leave the blueberries alone...at least, I hope so!

Ideally, I would keep everything weeded (and maybe I can) but I've had terrible luck with paper, cardboard, weed cloth, etc. So, the only thing that seems to work well is other plants. Maybe it's too much horse manure and water...but those weeds were crazy last year! I weeded huge piles, time and again, and hardly made a dent. I'm hoping that by getting an early start this year (and NOT rototilling) maybe it will make it a little easier. At least the other garden beds look good, but I wasn't going to let those weeds get my roses! :)

How about snow in summer? I winter sowed some last year and my baby plants took off like crazy. I don't think I remember pulling up any weeds where it was planted and It played nice with my day lilies. I think it'll crowd out weeds but defiantly not strangle any large plants.I also vote for catmint, as this is my favorite plant for any space. I read that it's east to propagate from cuttings so I'll be doing that myself and hopefully have a path edged in it. It is the best bee attractor too!
My best friend had planted those running strawberries ( lipstick strawberries ? They had small berries with cute white and pink flowers) as a space filler in her garden. They spread very well too and attracted birds to munch on the fruit.
Hope you get some good ideas! Spring will be here before you know it!

Would you consider laying down black plastic for a year to heat and kill most of the weed seeds planted by all that lovely horse manure? Looks ugly for a year, but sure is nice the following year.
For blueberries, I just keep adding more sawdust each year, and it can be fresh too. About 6" or so...blueberries have shallow roots, so better to keep adding than to constantly be disturbing the soil around them. I also have a weeping hose running the length of them so the water soaks in and doesn't just run off.
{{gwi:638762}}

For shrubs, what about spirea, deer don't eat it here yet, although it isn't a fruit, it would look pretty and shouldn't attract them the either.
If you have deer now, likely the herd will continue to increase some each year, this has been my experience and I finally broke down and built a couple tall fences (one wooden, one wire) to stave off the headaches of deer munching.
Hopefully you will be luckier than me.
Flora

Dear Lavander,

My immediate thoughts are that you would need to create a backdrop in order to tame the wildness of your surroundings. For that you should try hawthorns or tall yews. For inspiration, check this out. When you have a very well pruned hedge against untouched natural surroundings, you've created something quite very interesting.

For additional ideas: check out Piet Oudolf's website. In his case though, instead of traditional gardens, he is inspired by nature and tries to mimic it. However it's the use of hedges that I want you to look into.

Here is a link that might be useful: hedges

Outside the fence, just cut down the weeds. Clean them out as you have time. The fence should keep you busy this year.

Thank you for the responses! :)

Lilyfinch- I like catmint, too. It's so pretty (purple) and the bumblebees love it.

Flora- Plastic would probably take care of the weeds, but if it blows into the horse pasture, I have a whole other problem! LOL Spirea is pretty, but I'm trying to stay with mostly edibles, but I do have a few pontilia and the deer ignore it, completely.

Ianna- Yews would be pretty, but they're very poisonous to horses. I also want to keep the view, as much as possible, since this is one of our best areas to enjoy it.

Lipother- The fence would keep me busy, if I was doing anything more 'professional' but driving in metal posts and stringing wire can be done in one afternoon...maybe two. I do want to make sure I keep it off the ground a few inches, which will help keep the weeds in check.

I think concentrating on veggies that do well in my area, will really help! The last few years, I've planted things that don't do very well, with my short summers and I think that's been part of my frustration. This year...I'm concentrating on what I know does well...and hopefully I'll be able to get an early start and keep the weeds under control. No rototilling and being able to plant before the end of June will really help, too!

The Snow in Summer (Cerastium tomentosum) lilyfinch mentioned would do well with smothering weeds. Geranium 'Biokovo' and the pink 'Karmina' are mat forming- haven't seen any weeds poking up thru mine yet. Ajuga (bugleweed) too.

Maybe you could attack the weed problem from several angles? Could you mabye mow down some of the weeds around the gardens before they go to seed? I have also been reading about Corn Gluten Meal (non toxic) being used as a pre-emergent for weeds. Might be worth looking into: Corn Gluten Meal.

As for shrubs, how about Currants? Super hardy and will tolerate clay if amended. Lots of kinds too, like red, black, white, etc.
CMK

hmm in that case what about the ordinary privet? or a dwarf form of lilac? It doesn't ahve to be tall, just nice clean lines. Or multiple apple cordons and create a living fence out of these. It could also be a mixed fruit like pears and cherries..

That's a beautiful setting. Are you going to grow roses on your arbors? For me privet is a weed..comes up everywhere and gets as tall as a small tree. I am not winning the war against weeds here but just have to do battle with them. You can always use a weedeater.

But a fence seems to me an invitation for grass and weeds to grow up next to it. One more expensive possibility would be to build a low rock or brick wall instead of a fence. You could clear out the grass and weeds on the inside, and either not worry about the other side or weedeater around it. It seems like a choice between growing things you want along your wire fence or neatness.
Not sure you can get neatness and the plants too without a lot of weeding. I don't know if I'd want to try to keep the outside of the garden neat. Hmm..maybe on the outside of the fence you could put some rocks flat on the ground with some spaces between them. PLant what you want in the spaces. You'd still have to weed but maybe less. Another possibility...make a REALLY low brick or rock wall, then have your wire fence above that. Hand weed on the inside, weedeater on the outside. That would be a major undertaking of course but you could do it gradually. Especially if you have suitable rocks on your property. A commercial edging might serve the same purpose. If I were you I'd concentrate on the garden within your enclosure and let the outside be natural.
Linda