Garden Watchdog does not paint a very optimistic picture of them.

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Watchdog - Van Bourgondien review

Hi Kim,

Brent and Becky's has both Martagon and Martagon "Mrs. Backhouse" for sale in their Summer 2007 catalog -at very good prices. But, be forewarned, Martagon often doesn't come up the first (or even second) season. It doesn't like to be transplanted. Also good prices usually means smaller bulbs. That's OK IF you don't mind waiting for them to perform up to potential. What's not OK is if a cheap price means poor quality (sick, diseased, or poor condition). If you really want them to bloom this year you should probably go for larger more expensive bulbs to increase your odds. And even then, the truth is some species lilies are incredibly easy (Regale, Speciosum) and some require more patience (Martagon, Candidum, etc.,).

The Martagon I bought from Brent and Becky's last spring looked healthy and in good condition but, as expected, didn't come up. I did however grow bulblets from a couple of loose scales in the package. They leafed out (after I vernalized them in the refrigerator for 4 weeks) without any sign of disease or virus. Virus' are transmitted to scaled bulblets so the mature bulbs I received from Brent and Becky's are in all likelyhood virus free. I won't be able to tell you more than this until this spring when the should (hopefully) come up.

-Helen

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden watchdog - Brent & Beck's review

Hi Lady_fern,
I had mixed experience with VB. One out of my three orders from them was really good. Another one was absolutely terrible - two plants were dead upon arrival, two lily bulbs were 10cm instead of 16-18cm advertised. They issued store credit for the dead plants WITHOUT SHIPMENT COST. When I asked why they do so, they answered that they sent me these dead plants and therefore spent the money I paid for shipment. Go figure... Last time I spoke with them the customer service guy told me that it is their policy to not return money and to not replace bad plants for all Internet purchases. Do not try to find their policy on their website; it is not there. They will make it up for you every time you call them. You were lucky with their customer service. For me it was the worst experience with a customer service ever.
I would definitely go with Brent&Becky's.

All martagon lily flowers are naturally small compared to nearly all other true lilies. That is what VB are talking about, not that those particular bulbs will produce small flowers (as oppose to other martagon bulbs).

But I think it is safe to say that the more trama a martagon bulb has been through (i.e. time out of soil, dehydration, warm temps, etc. [whatever else etc. there is]), the more likely the bulb will sit for a season without sending up growth. If it has been in storage (through the winter) until spring, the trama is substantial, and I would be very surprised if you saw any above ground growth that same season.

My two or three dealings with VB have been satisfactory. Although (and perhaps to my shame), I do not worry so much about size of materials as some. However I do demand good health.

I ordered martagon lilies from VB last year. THey never came up at all!! (were absolutely tiny when shipped) I called, they said they would resend new bulbs, but never did. I now refuse to buy anything from them.