Silk Road

Geez, those things are monsters. I have never seen bulbs that big. Truely, I would not be complaining if the bulbs were small. Or if the one was rotted and the others were good quality, I would figgure that it can happen and you can't really tell in those baggies with sawdust in them that a bulb went bad. So I would simply have asked for a replacement. But unless I got realy, unbelievable unlucky, all the WWF stock of SILK ROAD is really bad this year. Who knows what happened.

Wow, Steve, you're driving up? How many hours on the road is that? I guess that would explain why you took a week off. LOL I bet it will be a whole lot easier to take things home with you, though. I still don't know how you and Sylvia did it last year. Must have had some master plant packers.

Is there anything special you're looking for? I don't have much in the way of lilies (just getting started on that particular addiction), but I'd be glad to bring you something in exchange if you do manage to bring a few up with you. I know this may not be a good time to dig bulbs, though, so no pressure. (grin) Let me know!

I used to get fairly good plants from WFF, but seems like the quality has declined the past few years. The last three orders from them were really tiny, sorry looking plants. They were the kind of thing I'd buy off a clearance rack, hoping I could bring them back from the edge, but certainly not what I expected at premium prices plus shipping. Customer service has always been good, though.

Can't wait until lily season begins here. I'm several zones cooler than you, so we've got a wait ahead of us still!

Angie

Steve,

It must be in that Texas air - my Silk Roads are closer to 5 feet. Whoo!

Steve, did you get that same Wayside offer I did - it seems to be about the same time. They were trying to sell SR bulbs for either $12.95 each or $14.95 each and couldn't, so they offerred three for the price of one. I hesitated, but I knew the source had to be The Lily Garden and the bulbs were spectacular. The same thing happened when they were trying to sell lilium candidum for a very high price, couldn't, and I obtained half a dozen for something like $5.00 each. And, much to my surprise, they were great too.

But I'm really shocked that the quality of WFF bulbs has fallen. I took advantage of an offer for Casa Blancas years ago that pretty much started me in lilies (along with Regale from B&B). Before I understood The Lily Garden connection I purchased Rosepoint Lace and Ariadne from WFF. All of these bulbs are fabulous and still in my garden. Until last year they were the cheapest source for a 12 Angelique/12 Mayflower combo, and later a 12 Mount Tacoma/Angelique combo. I got beautiful Vie en Rose daffodils (a Grant Mitsch).

I did notice that the prices went up. I'm cheap - I have a spread sheet that compares the prices per bulb, including sales and specials, of every bulb I want to buy. The sheet included OHG, B&B, WFF, McClure and Zimmerman, and Scheepers. For the first time in many years, WFF did not make the cut on any bulb. Their prices were highest. M&Z is not at the same level as the others but they duplicated one of the WFF combos above that had Mayflower in it, WFF, for the first time in many years, did not offer it.

Rita I have NEVER had a problem with any bulb from TLG. I hope this gets resolved.

Donna

Angie,

Yes, driving this time - LOL - about 15-16 hours is what I am guessing - probably 800-900 miles. It is a drive I have done many times as my family are all up in Illinois (I am from Danville, IL originally, right on Indiana line west of Indianapolis) and I would drive home usually once a year to visit. Sylvia came better prepared than I did with extra suitcases and she actually hauled all of that stuff to the Cedar Rapids airport when we drove back, and she checked it. I took the weenie way out and fortunately a very generous and sweet Ticker offered to box up and mail all of my plants and she did just that - I am still in debt to her for that ^_^

This time I want to go as I want to and take a nice relaxing drive, and I can take/bring back what I want to this time. As for anything secial, HMM - can't think of anything specific; I like irises, lilies, peonies, daylilies, hostas, etc just like everyone else here - and of course May is the worst time to dig anything because everything's either in its actively growing season/coming out of dormancy, or in my case, blooming. You do not need to bring anything special for me though thanks for offering; there were tons of good things that kept me content at last year's gathering.

Donna, I don't think I saw the "three for one" special; I would have hopped right on that one! Usualy if I order from Wayside I will buy in multiples of six or twelve as they scale their prices relative to the quantity you buy, and it is better to pay $10 or $11 per SR bulb, as an example. than the $14.95 as you mention for a single bulb. Wayside's bulb quality has actually been quite good (lilies) and I have not had any negative experience with them on those, specifically.

It's good (and smart) that you're so detailed about using a spreadsheet to track such specifics as price from all of the major suppliers. I use a spreadsheet too, but I only go so far as to track variety, quantity, source, and color. I should as a "price" column to the sheet - thanks! ^_^

BTW Donna, do you do any of the Round-ups?

Steve, I've never done one. I can see that something is coming up soon. Please fill me in. If you're driving all the way up here it would be great to see you at the RU, if for no other reason!

Donna

I've never done one, and don't really know much about it. I take it that one is coming up? It would be great to see you if you will be there.

Donna

The round ups are great fun. I can't make the Iowa one, but will attend the UMW round up that takes place in Madison, Wi. Please attend if you can. It would be great to meet you.

Donna, here is the link to the Iowa RU...

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/944714/

Where in Illinois is Grayslake?

45 miles north of downtown Chicago. South of Gurnee, west of Libertyville, and so close to Wisconsin that we can fly out of Milwaukee as easily as O'Hare. If you are on I-94 going north, you'll pass within about five miles of where I live. It's a conservation community called Prairie Crossing. All the houses are built farmhouse style (it was my childhood fantasy to live in a big red barn. Instead I'm in a cute red house).

Iowa is a bit of a hike. I think it was mentioned to me by someone on the fearsome Trees and Shrubs forum before I departed it. That might be a bit more than I can manage.

Anything a little closer coming up?

Donna

Ticker, are you coming to the UMW round up in Madison? Donna that would be about 90-120 minutes at the most, for you. It's always neat to meet fellow DGers.

Mags, I'm leaning heavily towards coming. :) We'll need to see what's going on as I get closer to the weekend, but I'm kind of planning on it. Of course, if I have some major rennovation going on at the house, well.... But we'll see. :)

Do you have a link. Madison is quite doable, and one of my favorite places.

Donna

My SILK ROAD bulbs from The Lily Garden came today. Four wonderful bulbs nice and big and great looking, ready to grow. I will plant them tomorrow as I was out all day and just got home a very short while ago. They are not humongous but they are quite big. Maybe 3 times the size of the ones I got from White Flower Farm.

I only ordered 4 bulbs in this order and I STILL got a bonus bulb. They sent me Orienpet SARABANDE. I looked it up and its a recurved red and white, very pretty.

I ordered a few Silk Roads from Wayside and they arrived in good shape and similar to those I have received in the past. Also have an order in with LG but tht hasn't arrived yet.

Maybe the Silk Road bulbs from Wayside this year are better than the ones from White Flower Farm.

Could be! You get a discount if you order multiple bulbs; I got a dozen.

Steve, I have to tell you, you made my entire trip to the Iowa RU worth it! I am so darned excited about those lily bulbs, it is almost indecent. LOL My mom was teasing me that I reacted like a 4 yo when I found out that you'd brought them. It made me really wish I'd brought something equally special to send home with you! Next time. . .

I didn't realize you were taking off on Saturday, so never got a chance to pick your brains on what I need to know to grow Silk Road. Any pointers on how/where to plant it? I'm a lily newbie; all I have are a few Stargazers and a few Muscadet that I planted last year. I think I feel a new plant addiction coming on!

Anyway, just wanted to let you know how happy you made me. It was good to meet you (again) and hear about your lilies and peonies. I hope you plan to post lots of pictures! I can blackmail you. . .if you don't share lily and peony pictures, I may just have to start posting pictures of you from RU! LOL

Angie

Go for it Angie!! :) LOL

Hi Angie,

I finally made it home....

Well I am glad you liked it and it was also great seeing you! There is nothing wrong with getting excited about gardening and a plant you love - trust me I do it all the time! ^_^

Hopefully you'll come to the next Round-Up as well because not only are they fun and you get to make great new friends, but you never know what surprises you get to take home. I really enjoy it; it is more than worth the drive. I could fly but I can bring plants when I drive and give as well as receive. The first year I brought nothing and everyone made sure I went home with a large box of nice things that Ticker mailed to me. Don't ever feel bad about not having anything "special" to exchange; everyone is more than happy to make sure you go home with lots of goodies and with no strings attached! I love to share what I have and others have been equally generous with me.

Silk Road - HMMM...I have them in several locations but close to the house looks nice as 6-7 feet after two or three years is not uncommon for this lily. It will likely not get that tall this first year but give it time and then watch out! The ones you saw in the pictures I posted had been in that spot for three years.

As far as how to plant, really there is no significant difference between planting this and the other lilies you've planted in the past, though this will be much, much larger (taller) over time.

I would give it the standard lily basics - well-drained soil, a sunny exposure for the stalk though the base of the plant should have some shade or some low-growing plants shading it. You would probably want to maintain some mulch in the winter for protection where you are. Unless you have a drought, I would not water lilies much as rainfall is normally sufficient; I don't water lilies in the ground a heck of a lot even here. If you leave in the pot (which you might want to do this first year if much root development has occurred), just keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. The bulbs you got I received this spring and I potted up a week or so before the RU, so it may not have rooted too much yet, but to be safe you may want to leave it in the pot and just proted the pot itself from hot sun. When you do plant, I would plant the bulb so that the base of the bulb is about 6" - 8" deep into the ground - usually a hole 2-3 times the height of the bulb will work. If you wish to wait for fall planting, I plant lilies from October to December here but rarely before then, and as your climate is a little different others may be able to chime in and suggest a good time to plant for you. I would guess mid to late October would be good. I know Moby is in your zone and she grows Silk Road as well.

I hope you enjoy your lilies - not only are these pretty but SR is VERY fragrant as well. Please keep me updated on how she does!

I'll post lots of pics, I proimise - that way hopefully you won't post any pictures of me! LOL I am camera-shy!

^_^

Steve

Aw, you take a good picture Steve! :)

I noticed. . .I think you hid behind your camera every time I pointed mine. That's OK, I'd much rather be on the back side of the camera myself. LOL I'll be nice if you will.