There are definitely some gingers that are hardy here (I used to have the Butterfly Ginger (Hedychium coronarium ) and it was so hardy that it was actually growing in size!) It is listed as zone 7.

Given it's increase in popularity, I would expect that lily of the nile (agapanthus) is hardy as well; but don't take my say-so just yet ... it may need a protected spot or extra mulching. Planting it near the foundation of a building helps create a microclimate that allows some plants to grow in a colder zone than they might.

Someone else should chime in on agapanthus. I don't have it in my garden ... yet.

I have had lily of the nile (agapanthus) for several years and they come back every year. I'm about 100 miles south of Atlanta. (not sure how similiar our temps are to yours).

Not sure about ginger. My B.I.L. is a landscaper and I can check with him.

Most Hedychiums are hardy in zone 7.
Hedychium 'Elizabeth'

Hedychium 'DR MOY'

White butterfly ginger is also a hedychium Coronarium.
Hedychium Coccineum 'Disney'
Hedychium Gardnerianum (Kahili Ginger)
Curcuma elata, Curcuma zedoaria, and Curcuma petiolata 'Emperor'.
The soil needs to be well draining in the winter or the rhizomes will rot.
Alpinia acuminata and Globba winitii that Lowes is selling right now are not hardy. Leave them in the pots and bring into a cool garage or someplace that does not freeze. Water very sparingly during the winter.

These guys are going in the ground then - thanks to all!

I have agapanthus here in Macon and it's hardy. Rarely blooms though for me. I have a ginger that I've planted both in shade and sun and I can't get it to bloom. It's been 3 or 4 yrs. Where should it be planted and how do I make it bloom? It's the beautiful fuschia one and was blooming when I bought it.

I tried agapanthus years ago and it never rebloomed. So I gave up on that plant. I find that gingers require copious watering. My sister has butterfly ginger in her yard and it is totally shriveled. In any case, both plants are hardy in the Atlanta area.

Gingers actually will do with less water if they have only AM sun and later dappled shade. The leaf curl they experience is more from direct sun/heat than from lack of water. Mine grow in full, direct sun but in highly ammended soil that stays moist even in periods of drought due to increasing both the organic matter and adding minerals to the soil. So far I've had only two blooms but they were actually unusually early. Normally I get flowers from about next week on into November from various types of ginger.

GGG

I am in Roswell, and Agapanthus does very well here. Foliage is beautiful and healthy, though it would not bloom every year for me.
~Natalie

Agapanthus is supposed to be hardy to zone 7. Exploiting a really warm microclimate (south wall of a house) would help greatly I'm sure. An Agapanthus that won't bloom! What else is new! I have read that they really like a crowded root ball to initiate bloom, so don't be in a hurry to transplant. In terms of moisture, I've heard everything from keeping them moist in the growing season to letting them go really dry (one of those plants that thieves on benign neglect maybe). I have had somewhat better luck with the flowering of the more dwarf varieties. With respect to the ginger's hardiness, it really depends on the variety. I know that a popular greenhouse variety is cold hardy to about zone 7 (the variegated Shell Ginger--Alpinia). Good luck!

Greetings everyone. I live in Canadian zone5a (usda zone4a). I have successfully overwintered Agapanthus in the ground, at least 1 winter, however hasn't flowered for me yet. I have also overwintered many palms and musa basjoo and musa sikkimensis. I have pictures at www.webshots.com and search for Ottawa_hardy_tropicals

I just bought Lilly of the Niles at Home Depot. I always have had flowers. Sometimes few, amend the soil well.