I'm looking for a lily that I can plant later this year that can be the 4th of July 'stars' in my garden out front. Can you please give me your recommendations for a lily that exhibits the following characteristics?:

Requirements:
* White (no other colors on the petals, any dots, etc, must be discrete)
* blooms over 4th of July (in zone 5b/SE Michigan)...meaning it should probably start blooming mid- to late June in zone 5 regions
* hardy to at least zone 5
* fragrant
* star-shaped (petals open wide, not curled back and not too trumpet-shaped)
* opens OUTWARD, not up or down
* size of plant must not exceed 2.5 or 3 feet

(I'm considering Bright Diamonds based on my ATP Database search, but it's pushing the height limit and I'd prefer to hear your recommendations, instead!)

If you have any suggestions, please let me know! Pictures would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

That's a really serious list of restrictions. You will have many problems finding one in this range. First off many lilies that aren't dwarf lilies will grow to 3 plus feet easily. Many asiatics that would bloom are not fragrant. Secondly that is right in the trumpet blooming time, which are fragrant and outfacing but you don't want trumpets. You would most likely be looking for a white oriental but based on your location they will not be in bloom at that time. I would recommend an Oriental-trumpet hybrid that is very white, fragrant, and has a little pink on the reverse but it would probably bloom a week late and grows about 3-4 feet tall. It's called Zambesi.

If I remove the fragrant and no-trumpet requirements, and maybe look for a trumpet that atleast has petals that flare out enough to look star-shaped, would that open the playing field a little more? Would you have a fairly solid recommendation, then?

My mom has lilies (asiatic?) growing at her house that bloomed in April, I believe, and they are definitely not trumpet-shaped. She is an hour south of here and, therefore, is about 1-2 weeks ahead of us in bloom time, but that would still easily put the bloom period far enough before July 4th....the only trouble is that hers are red and orange, not white. (I have pictures of them in another thread.)