One of the Aconitums?

Agree Owdb one of the Aconitums...

Aconitum napellus, Monks-hood aconite.

Thank you! I feel lucky to have this 'surprise' . . . just hope it's a perennial, and might spread???

Perennial and it spreads!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dead heading is needed.

Hi Sheilabub, you're in luck, it's a fully hardy, herbacous perennial, it's best grown in cool, moist, fertile soil, in partial shade, but will tolerate most soils and full sun, should be divided every 3 years in autumn or late winter, to keep it vigorous, Derek.

Wow - thank you to all you knowledgeable people. Amazingly it has landed in 'cool, moist soil, in partial shade' so it knows what it likes. As I just have the one plant, I shall treasure it!

Sheila - just be aware that it is poisonous.

Uh oh - thanks for the warning, Andrew.

Mind you so are a lot of plants in our gardens

Hi Sheilabub, not only is it poisonous if eaten, you can b poisoned by touching it without gloves, it is about the most poisonous plants it is possible to have in your garden, and is usually fatal, unless you can get hospital treatment within 1 hour, so just be EXTREMELY careful with it, Derek.

Hmm - I planted one yesterday without wearing gloves. Am I dead?

Well - it's always safer to be aware - thanks!!

I have no problem with them. Obviously I have not tried to eat one though.

Seems the toxins can be absorbed through a cut or similar but no real evidence.

I have spent the last few days cutting these things down and I rarely wear gloves, am I dead too?

Hope you're still with us, Owd . . . :))

Owd - if you and I are both dead, how come we didn't finish up in the same place? One of us must be in hell! :-)