The best approach to stopping weeds growing in your garden is to stop them from getting a grip in the first place. There are several ways of doing this;

Use a weed control membrane/fabric, black plastic or even old card or newspaper works ok - this is ok if you are preparing the ground for planting. Just lay it out and cut holes in the membrane where you decide to position your plants.

Use mulches, not only does this prevent weeds by blocking the light but also can come in many decorative forms like chipped bark or cocoa shells (cocoa is a bit smelly at first though unless you love chocolate!)

Use Composts, this supresses the weeds and also gives vital nourishment for your plants and shrubs.

...and then there is weed killer but you're playing with chemicals around your plants, though most are safe some plants and shrubs could be badly affected. So best to use some natural form of defence.

I prefer to use mulch, put a good layer down in early spring before the weeds start to come through then as the weather starts to get warmer turn the soil over regularly as the weeds, if rooting, will die in the exposure to the warmer weather.