The best method of dealing with weeds in a perennial garden is to keep them from germinating. Basically, when you clear your space for next year, make sure you clear out all the roots, runners, rhizomes, etc., from persistent weeds; then, after planting, make sure you mulch. (A layer of newspaper or cardboard beneath the mulch is helpful for keeping missed perennial weed pieces from reappearing.) A lot of the annual weeds are very aggressive and need to be kept from germination or else they'll rapidly take over (as you now know all too well!). If you have bare soil, the sunlight and open ground tells the many hidden seeds in the ground to jump up and "be fruitful and multiply!" By covering the ground with a healthy layer of mulch, you'll keep many weeds from appearing in the first place. The remainder need to be hand-pulled. There are always a few - keep on them, particularly before they go to seed. Regular topping off of the mulch is also helpful.
Good luck!
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