So, it’s a Hedychium gardnerianum, aka ginger lily or Kahlili ginger. Now, not to brag or anything but I’ve seen these in the wild in the Caribbean, but never attempted to look after one myself. Luckily, after much internet research I’ve discovered that they’re quite robust even in a British climate: in fact they have been described as ‘quite invasive’ when given good drainage and a southerly bit of the UK. You can even leave them outside all winter with a thick mulch and a cover over to keep the rain off (as with so many things, it’s the winter wet that gets ’em, not the cold).

I’m quite hopeful of success in my free-draining sand, but just in case I’m splitting it in three (it desperately needs it, after all) and putting one bit in the (frost-free) greenhouse and another bit in my dining room, much to poor non-gardening husband’s despair.

Only question now is, how to split it. Whaddya reckon – breadknife? Bandsaw? Chainsaw?!

(PS: you are seeing far more of my garden than I usually allow onto these pages in the above photos, mainly because this is a plant that resolutely defies my usual refuge in the macro lens. The reason there is straw all over my lawn, in case you were wondering, is because that’s where the guineapigs live).