Ground Elder Query

i have a 30 foot long privet hedge which has been in the ground for at least 40 years. Over the last few years we have fought a continual battle each summer with ground elder which grows underneath. As lots of it is in the neighbour's garden, and they are not interested in gardening, we are not going to be able to eradicate it in the foreseeable future. It is limited in how far it can spread because of the driveways bordering the hedge area on each side. Does anyone know if it would be ok to leave it to grow each year, or if it will eventually kill the hedge? Ripping out what we can each spring, summer and autumn is a long, tedious and fruitless task which we have to carry out every few weeks. Just wondering whether we can try to learn to love this pest.

 

Ground elder is rife in this village. Everyone moans about it, and it seemed to be an insurmountable problem at first..... then I read an article somewhere some years ago about a man who decided to embrace the plant as a gardener`s friend instead of an enemy.
He planted hardy annuals and roses between shrubs in his garden, and allowed the ground elder to pop up wherever it liked. He decided that his garden seemed to stay nice and moist - even in dry spells, and helped the surrounding plants, making a natural mulch.
These days, instead of trying to dig the stuff out, I find that breaking the top off where certain other things need space, it seems to weaken gradually - but otherwise I just leave it alone, and it doesn`t really seem to damage anything much.

Just wondering if I could find that article

 

....Incidentally, this plant is used to cure gout, rheumatism and arthritis - makes a good salad, and as @shiney said - soop! ..er doopa

 

Thanks for all the good advice. Might try a wee bit in a salad, and I make a lot of soup so I will give that a go. I didn't like the idea of just leaving it to go mad (well, even more mad) because it seems so dominant. I think I'm just going to keep tearing out armfuls as before, just to keep it under some control until such time as I have the energy and enthusiasm to try to get rid of what I can. @Marley Farley, I admire your dedication. Hope that's an end to ground elder in that bed, and good luck with the herbaceous border.

 

If anyone fancies some for their salad your more than welcome .to come over and help yourself to mine.

I think i may have just enough to feed the first 1000 people .

 

Just been out for a slug and snail round up. 55. Why don't they make themselves useful and eat ground elder?

 

You could always add the slugs and snails to the soup to add a bit more nutrition

 

:BBQ: Yum!