You're welcome. Orientals are so pretty they are worth the babying and extra effort they require in the deep south. Also, if you have heavy clay like most of us in this area do, you have an extra reason to amend the heck out of your soil for the more fussy types of lilies. Finding a balance between water retention and good drainage in clay soil under trees requires tons of compost. The Houston Chronicle's garden writer also had a good write up on lily cultivars that handle the heat well. She mentions 'Triumphator', 'Red Alert', 'American Revolution', 'Salmon Classic, 'Royal Trinity,' 'Royal Sunset', 'Brunello', 'American Eagle', 'Ceb Dazzle' and 'Alladin Dazzle'. The comments section has other gardeners chiming in with more heat tolerant selections. I grow 'Red Alert' and 'Salmon Classic' and I can testify that they both multiply like crazy for me even in dry shade. Here is a link that might be useful: Lilies that Like Us!

Sounds good. Do you have just one bulb or more. We could probably do medium bubble envelope with one bulb. Tried to email you back but it says invalid email address. Pam

Miriam, I've had good luck and bad luck with orientals. I think it's due to the warming climate that the last couple of winters, I've had luck with orientals 'Expressions' and 'Casablanca' coming back well. I've also had a few orientals a few years back, and they did grow the next year, but were weak and spindly and never did bloom, and then the next year didn't show up at all. Now, with that being said, some research that I've found on the net, that I'm really starting to take to heart, is that the oriental bulbs will survive our winters fine, but it is the length of the fall that we have in a particular year that depends if the bulb will do well the following year. Because orientals bloom so much later, towards the middle and end of August, an early fall freeze can kill off the tops too early for the bulb to store the required amount of energy it needs to come up and flower well the next season. So I think that orientals will do better if you have a protected spot that doesn't freeze as early as the rest of your yard, therefore they will have a little bit more time to mature before frost. So, yes, do give them a couple more weeks, you may be pleasantly surprised, and if you have a sunnier, warmer location, you may consider moving them there. Hope this helps, Laurie

doublej, thank you, that makes it sound more manageable except I would rather have pellets and driving clear out to Wal Mart is a pain, so I never go there unless there's no other way (they have some things you can't get anywhere else). I read my kelp bottle and agree that with the nitrogen that should work in place of the Alaska fish stuff. But there's no way I can dig a 1" trench in there, let alone 3" without possibly disturbing something, most are way too thick now (except that one spot that shows in the photo), so I'll have to make do with some kind of smaller holes for the bone meal or skip it. Some new lilies in back I forgot to use it in the bottom of the hole like I usually do so somebody suggested to just sprinkle and scratch it in. That I can do there because there is enough room around them. Maybe that regimen will help my regal lilies which aren't doing very well on the east side of the house. They lean so I tried to stake the taller ones and have spoiled many of the tops so they aren't going to bloom this year. Glad these other kind are stronger. I may have to just get rid of them and plant something else there. They are diminishing rather than multiplying, but the blooms are sure beautiful. I planted those 9" deep and don't know if I start digging if I can even get to them, no good place to move them anyway. If they don't get absolute full sun, they lean. Even the sgazers & aubade are leaning a little, planted on the south side but am fighting partial shade from trees during parts of the day. Always something. I agree about the Miracle Gro. I only use it occasionally and have better products for most of my plants. It just doesn't to seem to do all that much for me anyway for most things, plus IIRC you have to keep reapplying it every 2 weeks or so.