First of all I never try to spend more than one dollar a bulb on Asiatic Lilies. Have you been to the growers outlet in Loganville, they have the best prices around.. Lilies can be pretty persnickity at times and to be honest it really depends upon the health of the plant and bulb and the richness of your soil if transplanting from a bpot will be successful. Lily bulb planting time is early fall for blooms the next year.. I buy most of my bulbs from catalogs and one certain seller on ebay, that specializes in Orientals.. Taht is where I find most of the better prices and better varieties..
Alison

If you aren't buying them as easter decorations, then yes you can get potted lilies a LOT cheaper than $15.00/3 stems.

The easter lilies (lilium longiflorum) that you see in the shops now have been "forced" to bloom much earlier than is natural for them for holiday sales. The price you see is also an "unnatural" holiday price.

If you want an easter decoration for your home then go ahead and buy them. After the holiday plant them in the ground (in a sheltered spot since Longiflorum isn't as cold hardy as the asiatics and orientals) and they'll come back next year later in the season. If however your primary motivation is to have lilies in your garden there are cheaper and better ways to do it. Brent and Becky's Summer 2006 catalog has Lilium Longiflorum bulbs for sale at 5/$7.00 and a whole selection of asiatic and oriental lilies at similar prices. If you plant them now they will bloom this summer. I have had very good experience with them. For high quality bulbs go to The Lily Garden. They have some amazing unique lilies. But, For a limited budget Brent and Becky's is a nice combination of quality and "thriftyness" and has a good selection for the spring.

As for potted lilies, if you don't need easter lilies in particular, Home Depot and Lowes will be selling potted lilies for about $7.00/3 stems later in the summer. They usually carry the oriental lilies, Stargazer, Muscadet, Casablanca, as well as asiatic lilies. Just don't buy lily bulbs from these places, they're small and dry and aren't nearly as cheap as they ought to be for their condition.

One thing to note about potted oriental lilies (unlike Longiflorum), the height you see in stores is significantly shorter than when they come back the next year. Grower's provide greenhouse conditions to reduce height so that they will ship with less damage. Read the label and plan accordingly. (For example Stargazer grows to 4'-5'.)

Whew!! Sorry to run on, but I just had to help a future lily "addict"/enthusiast in the making. :)

Good Luck, Helen

http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/summer/

Helen and Alison, thank you so very much for taking the time to respond to my post. You both just saved me some money! I will check out the Grower's Outlet in Loganville for better prices and quality! I am not so interested in having the lilies for Easter, but acquiring them for my garden. You know how it goes...I want them now for instant gratification! My yard/garden is just so bare...I want to give it some life! But I had better be patient this time! I can assure you, I am well on my way to being a Lily addict! Is there hope? Thanks again for all of the great advice!

Alison, I would love to get the seller id of the person you buy from on eBay. if you don't mind.

Thanks Again :)

http://stores.ebay.com/Robyns-Gardens

I got most of my orientals from her.. Very large healthy bulbs.. I buy mine the end of summer/early fall, but did notice she had some for sale now..

Alison