How big is your patch?

No Sunday dinner here, never has been, even though P was brought up with proper Sunday lunch dead on time at 1.00pm.
When we were both employed Saturday and Sunday were 'working' days, usually in the garden. If we had stopped to eat midday, we'd never have got anything done, so weekend meals  were usually rapid ones.  Sunday was historically a getting down and dirty day so we would need baths to clean up and get ready for Monday work,  so once again easy quick meals. Never bothered too much with roasts, except at Christmas.

Your flower boxes sound interesting? I haven't measured my flower beds but I have 3 that are 10ft deep - 2 that are full of ground elder. I tried cover them and planting on top. That didn't work so now I try to dig it out every year. It does mean that I only really have a "summer" garden.

Scarlet when I originally changed my flower beds, I had made them narrower and into raised beds I removed any perennials I wanted to keep then covered the ground, which contained ground elder, docks and bindweed along with several perennial plants, with several layers of cardboard I then covered that with clean soil, seaweed, compost and course sand I did get a show if the bindweed which I removed by hand and it has now been clear for 2 years

I did cover over when I got here 21 years ago this week!  I used weed suppressant membrane. I covered over with wood chips while I tackled other areas of the garden. Maybe 5 years later I went back. The ground elder roots were so thick- a total mass.I believe this was my undoing as it's just too much to get rid of completely. It took forever to try to dig out as I have some perennials in there that I didn't want to lose. It just crept under the path ( suppressant and gravel) and now is in the lawn as well. If I'd know how invasive it was I would have used weed killer on it. I would never cover it again. It has spoilt my gardening enjoyment. I would love to plant in roses etc but the constant digging up disturbs anything I put in it. 
Personally I would take a peek at what you have got under there.