Oh dear, that's terrible, and one of the problems you can get if you buy in topsoil. I think I'd take the difficult but effective option, which would be to forget about the grass for the time being, and ruthlessly dig out any bindweed you can see - being as it was imported in the topsoil, it hopefully won't have put down very big roots into your own soil yet, and you have a chance of eradicating it - if you tackle it immediately. Track it by the topgrowth - and remember that any tiny piece of root will grow, so try not to break the roots and get them out intact, every little piece.

Thanks Bamboo. I've been doing this every day...and some days I foolishly think I'm winning! The problem is made worse by the fact that the garden was seriously neglected for eight years before we took it on last year and I'm afraid that not all of the infestation is new. Do you think I could combine the pulling with a granular weedkiller? I don't want to poison my beloved pond?

Ah - if you think it might have been there to start with, that's a different matter. Unfortunately, bindweed is a permanent companion once its taken hold - all you can do is insert canes where its growing, let it climb the cane and then zap it with a glyphosate spray such as Round Up or similar. This weedkiller kills through the green, so you need to the plant to be actively growing so that you can spray the stems and leaves. Watch for spray drift though - don't spray on a windy day, you don't want it drifting into your pond or your other plants. I note also that you mention 3 types of bindweed - there are only 2, major and minor, one has smaller leaves than the other, so I'm wondering what the third thing is you've acquired.

Me too! I have hedge bindweed on my boundary which backs onto a stream. And then I have field bindweed coming through the lawn, which is creeping rather than climbing. In the lawn, though, there is something looking and behaving very like field bindweed, except the leaves are less pointed and the stems are more purple. Do you think that they are the younger new bindweed plants? It must be possible to conquer this triffid...or there'd be no gardens in France...it's just I'm not sure it can happen in my lifetime!

Karen, can I just say that I wish you all the luck in the world! You are obviously one very determined lady! I hope you conquer the beast!

Thanks Izzy...I have a feeling I'll need it!

Be nice if you could post pics of the 3 plants you mean, but don't forget, climbers will creep across the ground if they've nothing to climb up...

Will do that, Bamboo...but have to wait for husband to come home at the weekend (I'm hopelessly technophobic!). Also, have to say that I'm slightly apprehensive about letting them grow for that long!

Well, it's already Friday, so not long to wait. I've just picked up on your comment re it being possible to conquer it or there'd be no gardens in France - you could say the same about UK too, but the truth is, many people co-exist with it, either pulling it out all the time or spraying it.

Husband not home until next weekend, unfortunately. But, have a camera and all the bits. Will take some pics and try to post them. Bear with me!

Hi Bamboo, surprised myself by managing to upload some pictures! Not sure if they're really clear enough, but I've described the main differences. They're in my photos. I'd like to know what you think, thanks.