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Characterised by apple-green, lobed leaves and flat heads of cream-white flowers in summer, ground elder spreads rapidly. What makes it even more difficult to eradicate is it can creep between cultivated plants. It creates large clumps of foliage

At this time of year hedgerows bristle with elderflowers. Elder (Sambucus nigra) is a native tree with white flowers in midsummer and bunches of small black berries in autumn. It is a bit of a weed but, like many weeds, it has both a purpose

and colours are availableTreat emerging shoots of perennial weeds like ground elder with glyphosate-based weedkillerRepot succulents that have overgrown their containers

grass, ground elder, bindweed and other problem weedsPlace plant supports over clumps of tall-growing perennials such as lupins and delphiniums

Prune out old stems of elder (Sambucus) to promote new growth from the baseCut back last year's buddleia stems to ground levelHard prune trees that respond to pollarding, such as willows, the foxglove tree (Paulownia) and Eucalyptus gunnii

, and dig deeply to sieve out roots of perennial weeds, such as bindweed, ground elder and couch grass Improve compacted soil by mixing in extra compost. Take care not to walk on or dig up spring bulbsTake root cuttings from phlox and oriental poppiesPot up

on removing weedsValerianPineapple weedJapanese knotweedGround elder

-treat the plant using a total weedkiller such as glyphosate. Avoid spraying on a windy day and near other desirable plants. all over the gardenspring to autumnMore advice on removing weedsHairy bitter cressYellow sorrelChickweedGround elder

in East Dulwich. But no, it was a grey squirrel. It was singing.Sitting in the crook of the large, rather gangly, elder tree in a neighbour's garden, the squirrel was staring into space, bleating out its miieeeoorrrl, call over and over again. I’ve never

? Bittercress lives up to its name. It’s often inadvertently imported on the surface of compost of potted young plants, but I don’t make it welcome. It's a pest, albeit a tasty one.Ground elder was the invasive thug we battled with in my childhood garden, though