I've been watching these at one of my local nurseries for a few weeks as the stems got taller and taller and the buds matured. While I am one of those people who tries to buy in bloom if at all possible, I finally gave in on Sunday and bought three pots - three bulbs per pot, 2-3 fat ready-to-crack buds each stem, green and vigorous and overall appearance of excellent quality, healthy plants. And, of course, the beautiful picture on the tags. I also knew that the minute the first one opened at the nursery, if it was anything like the picture, they would disappear in the blink of an eye. Well, my first ones cracked upen last night, and I need to buy a vowel because "O" MY GOD! It's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I'm starting a new bed (well, reworking a bed that has been up to this point mostly populated by some declining Japanese hollies) and so far using the lilies with Big Sky 'Harvest Moon' and 'Sunrise' Echinaceas, some Shasta 'Becky' and whatever else in the white/cream/yellow/melon range (with maybe just a sprinkling of hot blue-violet thrown in) catches my eye in the coming weeks. Never ends....

- Steve