Thanks for the replies, much appreciated. Mmmmmm from looking on the internet I see this plant arouses strong passions (lol), those who hate and those who love it. I must say I'm of the latter and will maybe have it in a hanging basket outside. Please forgive me Stawka. 
Awww Bright.
If a bit drops off that hanging basket outside, the cause is lost.
And so is your garden
Triffids eat people, I believe, as well as strawberries?
You can always try the old way and apply a "little" bit of sump oil,(you could make it a little more usable by
adding a bit of diesel but nothing grows in sump oil).
It was always perfect for fence lines,(no need to mow or wippersnip the area and cheaper than weedkiller),
Mind you it does "smell" a little bit and it may not be "legal" to use these days,(but a mechanic may give you as
much as you want),
