Lilies are one of the truly great garden plants, as they are beloved by gardeners everywhere. Their beauty, diversity, extended season of bloom, graceful stature, and overall reliable disposition reflect the fruits of hundreds of years of selective breeding. In Chinese, the word "Lily" means "forever in love". The Lilium family is so large, varied, and complex that it is challenging to describe them in short. Lilies are deer and critter resistant. Plant just about anywhere - in borders, beds, cutting gardens, perennial gardens, pots and containers. Best Buy lily mixture. This is a true lily mixture, so no two packs are exactly the same. Purchase several packs to plant in mass sweeps, and collect as many varieties as possible. The mixture is a bit like a box of chocolates, as you never know what you are going to get. Plant in well-drained soil where they will receive 6-8 hours of sun a day. They are winter hardy and considered a strong perennial that can be left in the ground and will re-bloom year each year if the conditions are right. Lilies perform best when well mulched. Lilies prefer cool soil, which argues for shade at their feet from low-growing companions. When cutting the flowers for bouquets, remove no more than 1/3 of the stem so sufficient leaves remain to renew the bulb for the coming year.