Lilies: USA Lily Growers? The Lily Garden vs. B&D, 3 by DonnaMack

DonnaMack wrote:
Greetings,

I started my Lily buying with The Lily Garden and Brent and Becky's Bulbs many years ago, and was very happy with both. I really loved The Lily Garden but they are enormously expensive and their selection is relatively limited. I paid $42 for three Anastasia, but I was willing to do it because Judith hybridized it. Making back their costs is one of the reasons that their prices are relatively high. And their communication issues have to do with being very small. There are two lilies I would love to replace that they don't sell anymore - Rosepoint Lace and Ariadne. I hesitated to get them because the acquisition of three was over $20.

I have two go tos, which I just love. If you look at the prices for B&D you will notice that they have a lot of wonderful lilies for a bit over $5.00 ( a few under), and a lot of threesomes for about $13.00. I was paying $7.50 and up at TLG. B&D lilies are sensational, routinely producing three big flowers the first year. They are so affordable that instead of buying one lily I buy three. The effect of three is OUTSTANDING!

I have Sorbonne, Red Alert, Crystal Blanca, Prince Promise, Speciosum Uchida, Silk Road, Hiawatha, Acapulco.

The first picture is 3 Sorbonnes, a reliable oriental with strong stems and a wonderful scent. I took this picture in July.

The second is Anastasia (about $5.50 each) and Crystal Blanca (Crystal is a shorter stronger Casa Blanca.) Also taken in July.

B&D often has sales (get on their email list) that reduce lilies to $5.00 each, their selection is superb and ever expanding. The selection and the cost, not to mention the excellent service, are why I would go with B&D. Because of them, I am buying lilies for a fraction of the cost I was paying ten years ago.

In the third picture, in the foreground, is lilium speciosum 'Uchida', one of my absolute favorites and just about the last lily to bloom here. Late August into September. It's one of my favorites. I was amazed at how well branched these quite new bulbs were. Picture 4.