Getting rid of celandines

Over the years my garden has become infested with lesser celandines in the Spring. They now form a thick carpet over much of it and it's impossible to move plants around with out spreading them even further. Much as i like them it's time to get a grip. Any suggestions? I know they disappear soon but I'd still like to reduce them a bit.

I notice smyrnium perfoliatum is also gaining a spring stranglehold. Thanks, Christopher Lloyd, you didn't mention that bit.

 

That's a tough one Madahhlia.
In my last garden I thought they were so pretty I introduced them myself :DOH:
They were soon everywhere :DOH:
It didn't really matter as the garden was large and they grew under trees and shrubs and things - but where |I tried to clear them out it made no difference.
I just had to learn to love them :WINK1:

 

There is no easy way - Madahhlia.

I have been on my hands and knees today, doing just that. I was having a general weed in front of the house. It was actually quite a pleasure, though I generally don't like weeding. But today I felt that the soil was very easy to work and many weeds could simply be pulled out without any digging. Also all the plants were neat little sprouts of growth, so that you could see exactly where everything was.

Two years ago it was overrun by forget-me-nots which choked and killed off a number of my perennials, so for the last couple of years I have been having a blitz on them - pulling up every one I saw. This year there were only about three or four to be pulled out - so I think I am winning the battle, but I know its not over yet. I am currently doing the same for lesser celandine. You really have to pull out every single one, making sure you dig down and get the tubers out. Even the smallest one you leave will grow into a big one. My problem is that my neighbours garden, only a few feet, away is absolutely full of them.

To make it worth your while, you could always do what a friend of mine does - sells them at car boot sales.