Total garden virgin needs help!

[blondissimo]

Hi
Please excuse my naivety but I have inherited a plant which I think is some sort of Cordyline (only think this after looking in Homebase). It has long spiky leaves and very "architectural" looking, but the leaves are trailing on the ground, some look a bit dead.
How do I go about bringing this back to life? Can I just trim the leaves off at a certain length or do I need to cut them back to the root?
TIA

Cut back the dark/dry leaves to the stem and make sure you water it in the dry weather.
Is it in a pot or in the ground?

Thanks Pannacotta - it is in a pot, but some of the leaves that are alive are also trailing on the ground - is it ok to trim these?

I would leave the healthy leaves and raise the pot if you need to - put it on bricks or something like that as its probably better not to trim the healthy growth if it is looking a bit ropey.

Am presuming it is a cordyline, does it look like these?
www.seagravenurseries.co.uk/products.asp?d=7&gclid=CMLo5O_qkJsCFc0B4wodaHctoA

Hi
Yes seems to be one of those, I will try raising the pot. Any idea how often it needs watered?
Thank you for the advice so far

WOuld water it well once or max twice a week depending on the size of the pot and the plant.
The larger the plant and the smaller the pot the more it will need.
DO give it a good soak each time though, perhaps half to full watering can at a time, though obviously this depends on the plant and pot size...