Since we're all waiting for Anthony to put up some pics, I'll post a couple I've pulled from my orphan garden for furthur study. Keep in mind, had it not been for some strange turns in a plants fate, these would have returned to dirt long ago. I have 13 such pulls but will just post 2 for now. I'd like any comments, sugestions, etc. The picture I posted for the 'Ant Problem' is a third such pull example. The first one I nicknamed 'old smokey'.

They are all lovely! Thanks for the side views, they show important aspects of the blooms. Welcome Lorn; so nice to have another "seed grower" on the forum!

I like the first photo showing the tepal tips curling back; the solid pink trumpet is beautiful.

When I find I have to do culls to get back some space, it usually ends up coming down to the form of the inflorescence. I'm much more likely to have a really pretty bloom than an inflorescence with well placed pedicels and good bud count. I know I have a few that sadly must go this year. Bud count has maxed out at three or four and the pedicels are placed helter skelter . They are a cross from trumpet Tropical Isle X mixed orienpet pollen, though I have my doubts that the orienpet pollen was the successful pollen parent.

Connie, I thought you'd get a kick out of these, I like to take photos of stem and leaf form too but at the time the heat, humidity and mesquitoes were so bad, it was 'click and run'. Both plants had storm damage wiping out many buds prior to photographing.

I've been following this forum for a while (to see if I fit in). I see there is a solid core of interesting people here; each of which I'd love to have as a neighbor! I welcome each of you to click on my info page that I just updated to get a little bit of background of me for starters--and the rest you'll learn about me as time goes on.

On photos 1 and 2, the one I call Old Smokey--I want to try and increase the bud count while retaining as much of the smokey gray and soft pink as possible. Photoes 3 and 4--the soft peppermint one is a good plant overall; I'll cross pollenate it with something. Any suggestions for a pollen partner for either of these?

I don't have any parentage on either of these.

Welcome Lorn.

Of course you and all lily lovers fit in with the rest of us. I wish everyone would just jump in and start talking.

Here I am, a moderator on the forum, and I know nothing about starting lilies from seed, so if I fit in (????LOL), so does everyone else.

But, anyway, nice to have you here. Can't wait to see pictures, and to learn more about you.

That's what makes it interesting ~ how dull if we were all the same. I admire those that have the patience to start seeds, I just don't at this point in my life. Too busy trying to soften the edges of this square, flat, semi-tree-less (boring) yard.

Moby: The challange will keep you busy for years.

Polly, I'll post a couple more from this group of 13 sometime today. The point I'm getting to here is you never know where this world of lilies is going to lead you. My orphan garden is a place I put stuff that other people bring me--anything and everything and for every reason you could imagine. And most often, its stuff I don't want! With lilies its usually some dried up pot of commercial ones they bought at a big box store they don't want anymore. About 7 or 8 years ago' a distant acquaintance brought a huge box of 50 or 60 lilies in full growth that she and a friend had got from an estate/ rummage sale for a couple bucks. They were in terrible shape; wilted, broken off, bare root and at the worst time of their cycle. Well, I planted them without much respect or hope of survival. Well, they did survive and as time went on, I realized some of these were non commercial because they are not marketable for one reason or another.They must have been the work of another lily lovers work in progress and further, I strongly suspect that person is no longer with us. All of rest of the bunch I culled but most of the 13 I'll keep to tinker with--at least for a while. Keep in mind now, I have many Trumpets and Aurelians and commercial hybrids so these are 'playtime'. But it just goes to show you, you never know where this wonderful world of lilies might lead too.

I want to try and shorten this thread up because other people have questions. But here's a keeper from the group, an upright regal. Actually a much deeper rose color than picture. but the neon appearing yellow and green blend is very real. Note also the strong sharp mid rib and the real fine pin stripe on it. note also the Pink Perfection, upper left last photo.

They all look like keepers to me, but then my mission in life seems to be to rescue every battered and bruised plant I find.
What did the lilies in the top right of your last photo turn out like?

They are all beautiful to me...

Brian: I'm sorry not explaining the Upright Regal setting. I moved it from the orphan garden into one of my better maintained gardens. The bud you see in the upper right is commercial Pink Heaven, a LO, a Longiflorum X Oriental hybrid (Easter Lily-Oriental) It is similar to El Condor but a lighter pink and pretty close to Bell Song, another LO. Though not the actual bud in the picture, here's picture of the plant two years ago, Pic1 along with El Condor Pic 2. The bud at the front in pic 2 Is Pink Heaven.They have grown considerably And no, I haven't worked with these and don't plan too. Just for show I guess. Thaks everyone for the nise compliments; I,m glad you like them.

I thought they might have been LO's from the bud shape. Thanks for the pics!

I think there is a lot to be said for a great trumpet lily. They grow pretty fast from seed and vary quite a bit in height and form. Their perfume is exotic. Trumpets are some of the nicest lilies around. And the ones you have posted are gorgeous. Good to have another seed starter here too.

I have a lot of fun starting seeds and hybridizing. I never knew how much Some of you around here are to blame for my obsession....and you know who you are

Tracey: I think that when anyone who's been around lilies a long time will eventually favor one division more than the others and that leads to wanting something you can't get; something you don't see in catalog, a nursery or a big box store--not anywhere! And its the challenge,the rewards ( and disappointmrnts) that inspire me! And, I'm always looking other places too--like peeking around back at a rummage sale in an older neighborhood in search of a nice de Graaff example.

I must confess that while I have a broad knowledge of lilium and growing them, my lily genetics knowledge is pretty shallow. But I cross pollenate anyway. I'd like to be better able to predict the outcome--so I say I have some--but never enough knowledge.

I just 'couldn't be happier' to know you like Trumpets, too! That makes at least three of us here in southern WI.

Hi Lorn-- I'm a huge fan of trumpet lilies too! Even though the color range isn't all that great there are patterns to work with. As you know I am playing around with the pink edged yellow/melon colored trumpets and also just starting work with pink edged white ones. I also try to pay attention to what is going on with the reverse side of the tepals as those colors make an impact too, especially in the mature bud and just opening blooms!

Can I talk you into uploading your Courier photos to our lily database? You can find the lily database at this link:

http://garden.org/plants/brows...

and in particular the entries for Courier here (found by either search function or clicking on "C" in the database):

Lily (Lilium 'Courier')

You can upload your photos by going to the bottom of the Courier page and clicking on "Upload a photo". A window opens for you to find the photo on your computer for the upload. Then it will pass through the moderators for approval.

Sorry, didnt realise i was supposed to be posting pics.,.Heres a Flavi seedling Loading is tempremental again########

Beautiful.....

Dalmaticum Cmon -upload 3rd try

sold to me as 'miss lily''- more like 'american west'

To reduce any confusion, Lilium dalmaticum is a synonym for the normal Lilium martagon. (So it would have whorled leaves, too.)

A really wonderfully dark one, Anthony. If you got it as plain ol' Lilium dalmaticum, you are very fortunate.