Orientals, asiatics, regals, aurelias, and martagons will all flower with the few frosts we get in z9a so sustained chill may not be required. It can be a real nuisance to have a late frost on the regals which knock back the buds and turn 'Christmas lilies' into great leaves, no buds. So long as your holding bed doesn't turn into a spring ephemeral swamp, I'd agree they're better in the ground. Just be aware that those basal roots start into action earlier than you might like. They will need deep-enough pots, perhaps six or more inches down. You can always pot on in spring - taking great care to guard the emerging shoots.

More beautiful flowers. The 8 petalled White Henryi looks great.

Love them all, sadly my orange ixora died when I HAD to move it to make way for my Arch. And while sitting in the car today while hubby was filling up the tank on the road side at the front of the service station there was mass planting of Pink Ixora all in bloom magnificent it was. And I can just imageine how yours look, do they grow by cuttings I may ask if I can take some. Your Native Tibouchina is very pretty, as is the red frangipani., the Christmas Lily looks great too. A lovely lot of flowers...Cheers..MM.

I use a white polystyrene box, fill it with a good quality seed raising mix. A 2cm layer of well rotted cow manure at the bottom is a good idea for the roots to grow down into. Scatter the seeds liberally over the top of the mix, and cover with a thin layer of vermiculite. Water enough to moisten the mixture. Put in a shady place and wait. I have a box ful germinating at present. They are one of the species liliums - I forget which. I haven't tried Asiatics, but I am sure a lot of the 'seed' that you collect does not contain an embryo. If you look closely at the seed the really pale stuff is just chaff. The good seeds have a darker, slightly swollen centre. I have had success with fritillarias, agapanthus, dierama and galtonia using the above method. Cheers, Jan