i sometimes have a hard time deciding which way is up when i get new lilies! often enough they come with both roots and growth tip seeming to come up from the same side. my solution has been to kind of comb down the roots like it was long hair so that it reaches down to the other side and then try to cover as much of it as possible with soil when i plant it leaving only the growth tip completely exposed. i'm not sure this is the right thing to do, but it was the instinctive thing to do. i'd love to hear answers from some of our gurus who really know how to grow their lilies!!