Tiger Lilies (Lilium lancifolium) have come into full bloom here, their swept back petals giving them the appearance of pulsating sea forms swimming in the garden air.
They’re native to China, where they have been admired and depicted in literature and artworks since at least the 10th Century.
Those Tiger Lily petals and bulbs, by the way, are edible by humans, but not dogs and cats, which can have severe adverse reactions from eating them. Chinese chefs reportedly like to use the bulbs (when available) in moo shu pork. (Brooklin, Maine; images taken Sunday, August 8.)