When they start turning yellow/brown, then it's done with photosynthesis & they go dormant until next year. Then you can cut them.

i sure hate the looks of those stems!

Me too.

Just think of them as part of nature Vid... remove them too soon and you won't have decent flowering bulbs next year.

Had you thought of changing the border another year so that herbaceous perennials grow up in front of the brown leaves and hide them? Works for me.

Stera has an excellent idea. You can still plant things around them, zinnias are nice and tall. Herbaceous perennials can conceal them very well. Veronica, guara, roses, day lilies work well too.

thanks for the answers All,