I think I need to learn how to be patient. One of the varieties I planted last fall was Judith Freeman's 'Peach Lace' which she advertises as a "robust triploid which will soon establish a colony in your garden." Needless to say, it is has been one of the varieties I have been most anxiously watching for signs of sprouts and I have been dismayed at finding nothing. Well, guess what? Last night I was weeding through a bed and found three sprouts (from three bulbs planted) of 'Peach Lace'. They were at least 1 to 1.5 feet away from where I had planted them and were hidden among mature daffodil and hyacinth foliage.
I read in Ed McRae's book that lilies with L. lankongense heritage tend to wander around underground a bit before emerging, but I had no idea it would be so extreme. He writes that if planted deeply, it lessens the tendency to wander. All of these bulbs were planted about 8 inches deep, so lilies must not read books, LOL!
Checking around in other "unlikely" places underneath spring bulb foliage I did find a handful of tiny noses poking through. Hopefully the rest of them are just wandering around underground looking for a good place to emerge.
I am still a bit concerned about my 'Red Velvet', however. I planted 10 bulbs total from B&D in a well-drained raised bed and, as far as I can tell, none of them have sprouted. The 'Anastasia' in the same bed are nearing two feet tall now and the some of the Lilium speciosum are at least a foot tall.
