The temptation is to pour summat over
him, HG, but that's not an option, sadly
To get rid of Ground elder you can plant giant marigolds (I think!) It supposed to work on bindweed too, but I think that's the small field type.
BTW Ground Elder is also known as 'Goutweed' and can be helpfull in alliviating symptoms when used by a herbalist.
Or try these, curtisy of downsizer.net
Ground Elder Omelette (serves two)
1/2 to 1 bunch of ground elder
4 eggs
A little butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Pick young, bright green shoots of ground elder. Take them home, and wilt them in a frying pan in the butter. Beat the eggs, season them with salt and pepper, and add them to the pan. Cook for a minute or two, before putting the pan under the grill to finish off (or, alternatively, flip the omelette over). Serve with crusty bread as a light lunch or starter.
Ground Elder Quiche
Shortcrust pastry (125g flour, 60g butter, a pinch of salt and enough water to form a pastry)
1 bunch of ground elder
2 eggs
300ml of milk
Salt and pepper
A grating of nutmeg
100g of cheese, cheddar is ideal but a little parmesan added to it would help
Make the pastry (sift the flour and salt, rub in the butter to create a crumb texture, mix in enough water to form a dough). Roll the pastry out, and use it to line a greased flan dish. Take the leaves from ground elder stems. Beat the eggs with the milk and a little salt, pepper and nutmeg. Mix in the leaves and pour into the flan case. Grate the cheese and sprinkle it over the top, and bake in a moderately hot oven for half an hour to fourty minutes. Serve hot or cold.
Ground Elder Soup
2 bunches of ground elder
A dessert spoon of butter
A dessertspoon of flour
1 small onion
1 rasher of bacon (optional)
Salt and pepper
500ml chicken stock
250ml single cream
Take the leaves from the ground elder and rinse them. Sweat them off in the water left on the leaves for a minute, then take them off the heat. Soften the onion in the butter (with the bacon, if using) and add the flour. Slowly add the stock, stirring all the time to make a smooth soup. Mix the leaves in and simmer for five minutes or so, before blending or rubbing through a sieve. Add in the cream and season to taste. Serve with crispy croutons.
Ground Elder Cooked as Asparagus
This is perhaps the best way of cooking ground elder... Take young, green shoots and steam them till warm, no more than a minute. Toss them in melted butter and serve immediately.
MW
Anyway it was being cultivated in the gardens of a chateau in amongst perfectly pruned box hedging and looked fab!
Admittedly the variagated is quite pretty and doesn't spread as much as the plain stuff but still involves quite a lot of work in keeping it under control.
