First of all, gardens need some maintenance, so if you want a nice looking garden, you will need to commit some time to caring for it. Bark or straw mulch helps to keep down weeds and makes those that do grow easier to pull up. One good way is to edge with a shovel then use a hand cultivator to pull away the grass that is “cut off”. Edging makes weeding easier and makes the garden look really nice when you are done. When pressed for time, I edge, then weed in about 12 to 18 inches. If your garden is full, the weeds in the middle won’t even show and you give an impression of a well-maintained space. Planting ground covers such as mosses, alyssum, and vinca will reduce the space that weeds can take over. You can check out a video on edging with a shovel here.