If you do not contact a seller about a cross that failed, you are not giving the seller a chance to make it right. All seeds are not created equal. Sometimes things just go wrong with seeds. Sometimes even the best-looking seeds will fail to germinate. Not the seller's fault, not the buyer's fault. It just happens. But I think you will find that the sellers that care about their customers will make their seeds good.

I bought 50 seeds off the auction from Emery. They were ready to plant when I got them. She sent extra and I now have 55 seedlings growing. She was generous with the extras she sent and the lost several because I had a bad fungus gnat and white fly infestation. I wouldn't hesitate to buy from her again. Marg

I forgot to mention, I like to buy Canadian. Emery is from Toronto so I know the plants will be hardy here. Marg

Lily auction sellers who provided excellent seeds and I've gotten 95% or better germination rates.
MTHRNATUR
Northman
LILYDUDE
EMERY
Leightonhill
Daredevil
I'm sure I'm missing a couple of people.

I haven't purchased any this year nor will I. I only have a couple of dls which I'll harvest seeds from this year and they will be enough for me to handle.

Julia

I bought a bunch of seeds on the Lily Auction this Spring for the first time. I started some seeds in early April, after we had that hot spell, figured it would be okay that early, but the germination wasn't very good with those seeds and I don't think it was the fault of the seeds.

Then started a 2nd batch of seeds in late April, with much better results. Got near 100% germination on most crosses, or at least 50%, except for one. Total bust. Even the bonus seeds the seller sent germinated. I contacted the seller and she reimbursed the cost of the seeds (they weren't cheap).