In the cut flower trade, they cut them long before the first flower opens, when even the first bud is still pretty green, but get them to open anyway as long as they are cared for properly. You can let the bulb do most of that work and cut as the first flower on the stem starts to open. Get some cut flower food (these days available in most any grocery store, and certainly at a floral shop) and use it as directed. Also, change the water often (every day would be good) and cut another half inch off the stem each time you change the water. - Steve

Thank you for these responses! Yes I am very nervous about going less than 42 or 41 on the aisle, hence my post. The idea of needing to pull out the range for servicing never occurred to me, so thank you montanapacnw and rhome410 for adding that into the mix. yikes, a potential 4" lost to countertop?!, bmorepanic, thanks for pointing out that possibility. It seemed to me if I still wanted to consider shrinking the aisle I would want to specify LESS overhang, so it was interesting to read the opposite from davidro1, that tightening the aisle but increasing the overhang of the island would actually give me more room to maneuver/get in out of the oven etc. Overall aesthetic/flow of the floorplan would just work soooo much better if I could tighten up that aisle. To clarify the "4" less aisle space=8" more island length." I'm trying to center a nice sized island on my sink and I can't and still allow a 42" aisle for the range. If I could tighten the aisle, it would enable me to move the island closer to the range and get me a longer island, centered on the sink. Currently, either my husband and I cook, switching off who makes entire meals, but we both don't cook at the same time. (I'm hoping with our bigger, more functional kitchen that might change and we might tag team some meals or that as our kids get older they may also want to get more involved in meal prep.) It is a tough decision..anyone else care to weigh in? Thanks!

. I think I had been looking at it for so long that I was missing the big picture and ignoring the green blob. ==>>> thats funny . lol ... always think outside your box ... speaking of which .. ever consider just getting rid of hubby so you can properly landscape the house.. lol .. the term you want is REJUVENATION PRUNING ... and i gave you a link below ... its much more than just giving them a haircut .... and its a multi year process ... just never forget.. with no insult to the root mass ... new growth can be HUGE ... . I think I had been looking at it for so long that I was missing the big picture and ignoring the green blob. i cant do CMs up here in MI ... so i cant help you precisely ... and i dont have holly ... so i hope others chime in.. though it is a holiday weekend.. so it might take a few days ... but pruning is pruning.. you can always take more next season.. but you cant glue them back on ... a good pruning saw would be a blessing ... ken it doesnt matter what kind of holly ... and hit the video links https://duckduckgo.com/?q=renovation+pruning+hollies&t=ffcm&dbexp=a&ia=web pruning saw ... boy now this is a link .. lol https://www.walmart.com/ip/Fiskars-93686935-Folding-Pruning-Saw-7-FOLDING-SAW/16930221?action=product_interest&action_type=title&beacon_version=1.0.2&bucket_id=irsbucketdefault&client_guid=b27b3bb2-bd53-412c-892f-ccdc1e945a21&config_id=106&customer_id_enc&findingMethod=p13n&guid=b27b3bb2-bd53-412c-892f-ccdc1e945a21&item_id=16930221&parent_anchor_item_id=1551131&parent_item_id=1551131&placement_id=irs-106-t1&reporter=recommendations&source=new_site&strategy=PWVAV&visitor_id=fMfi7CCkutKJUS6ZoCVE98

Thats neat. It doesn't seem that their growth was stunted that much. I have a 1 year progression of a similar 2-pup that I kept attached to the leaf. Though my soil was crap and light was low for the first year until this summer when they blew up. The photos look like only 1 pup, but it's got 2. June 20 2016: June 21 2017: (before going into a good mix)