We have done away with unwanted growth by smothering. It takes time but is worth it. We remove as much growth as possible. Lay down heavy cardboard or thicknessess of newspapers. Cover it with all the leaves we can find. Cover with a tarp weighted down around the sides with rocks. Leave it all winter. In spring remove the tarp and cardboard. Check the earth for cleanliness. Define boundries of the garden. Ammend soil appropriately. We amend with peat ,compost, top soil, sand, organic elements such as bone meal, phosphate, or blood meal. We dig in the leaves. Define areas where we want specific plants. Make borders around the areas. We use old metal wheel rims sprayed with hammered metal rustoleum on the more level areas or concrete blocks with spaces placed upward. We plant sedums in the spaces of the blocks. Material of choice may be used. Build up the soil within the planting areas, providing good drainage.. Put in the plants. Make small trenches between the planting areas and fill with with river rock. Put a light mulch of pea gravel around the plants. This prevents soil from splattering on the plants when raining or watering. The varied size of the rock makes it more interesting. Other rock may be put in for accent. When making planting holes fill with water to ensure good drainage. Place plant in hole and water to settle the soil. Then put on the top layer of pea gravel. The trenches filled with river rock makes a good draining area. This encourages roots to spread to reach the moisture. I am in process of doing an area in this way now. It is looking good. Start small and build it gradually. good luck. EP

I have never seen a completely weed free garden even in public gardens. However, the loose well draining soil and the rock and pea gravel cover discourages the weeds and weeds are easier to see and remove. We use roundup on weeds such as cat brier, poison ivy, and others that are difficult to pull. We have been most successful with the smothering with mulch procedure for initial preparation. EP

I would also say, newspaper, topsoil and then mulch, in about 3 month it should be ready to be planted or do it now to have it ready for next spring, newspaper can only be the black print, no color. I start all my beds this way.
ulli

Here is a link that might be useful: my garden

Roundup doesn't work very well on the white blooming Morning Glory you are describing. It just makes it sick and takes repeated doses to do any good. Use something like a broadleaf and blackberry weed killer by Ortho or a product called Crossbow that can be had at a farm supply store. Since the spray is absorbed through the leaves, do not chop up the roots or try to pull it up as it will prevent the absoption of the spray. Chickweed can be controlled with a good mulch because the seeds are very small and can't penetrate it, unlike the roots of the Morning Glory which can.
When you bring in the loam, over mound it before adding rocks because the soil will tend to flatten out as you add rocks. Group them as in a rock formation that has aged rather than placing them helter-skelter. Make the 'formations' as high as you can because after adding plants and a mulch a good part of the rocks will be buried. Place all rocks right side up instead of burying them by a 1/3 as is commonly suggested.

Here is a link that might be useful: Part of my rock garden