"left a few aspen suckers to grow up along the edge of the bed and lawn"

Populus tremuloides, in all forms are simply one of the biggest weeds on the planet. I LOATHE them. The only value of a poplar is beaver food. And, of course, porcupine food because if you get stuck in the woods without food or weapon, you can always rip down a small poplar and kill a porcupique with it for food. Even use the poplar as a roasting stick.

I killed about 50 of the damn things today on Mum's lawn, 10 to 50' away from her neighbour's poplars.