I start this post with a warning.

OK, so everyone knows I love daffodils. I probably have a couple of thousand planted at this point. For the first time ever I have a dog who wants to eat daffodils. Now I do, and she showed another this morning how to shred two medium sized daffodils. Daffodils are very poisonous to dogs and cats. Most will leave them alone. Some have to learn the hard way and I don’t want you to end up at the emergency vet so this is another reason why you have to be aware of exactly where your dogs are and what they are doing when they are outside.

I did call emergency vet because one is a cancer and cardiac patient. But what she said because it was a small amount ingested and mostly they just shredded to flowers and stems is vomiting and mucus production. I have now had that from both of them in the front hall in the dining room and in the kitchen.

So please keep an eye on your pets outside. I did keep an eye on mine outside. They stole the flowers off the trunk I laid them on when I brought in when I was taking the electric fence collars off.

And no, I’m not going to dig up all my daffodils or stop planting them. I will, however, consider other places to plant them where they’re not as readily available to my dogs.

So back to our regularly scheduled programming. I have been going to write this post literally for about three weeks and then I just keep getting distracted.

The winter has been long and the first couple days of early spring here with unusually warm weather meant things like winter aconite popped up in a spot in the woods I never knew it existed.

Last weekend, I had a lot of fun because it was David Culp’s Galanthus Gala. Great speakers, and lots of plants. And cool plants, not predictable, my favorite kind. What did I buy you ask?

First up is Prickles. Yes I gave her her name. She came from O’Brien’s nursery in Connecticut. Osmanthus heteropylla ‘Sasaba’ seedling. It’s a seedling that came originally from here and my friend Andy – it grew and went to Connecticut when she was six inches tall.

Prickles came home unscathed hanging out of the sunroof. Joining her was a Manchurian Azalea or “Cornell Pink” and a young Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Soul Fire’ or Golden Dawn Redwood. Those two lovelies came from Look Again Garden in Malvern.

Galanthus Gala is my way of knowing that spring is coming. I used to go to the Philadelphia Flower Show the same weekend but I just don’t care for it as much anymore. It’s so commercial and less about the plants. David Culp’s gathering is a wonderful collection of gardeners of all levels, including those with international chops and they’re also nice. There is no artifice or pretense.

While I was at the Galanthus Gala, I was not only inspired by the speakers, but I got to spend time with some of my favorite people, including David Culp and Jenny Rose Carey. They are so generous with their time with me always and I also loved spending time with the nursery people I always see at this event. It’s funny, but sometimes Martha Stewart even shows up at this event.

The event left me inspired and hopeful because it’s been a hard winter and the deer have been making me crazy. And the snow.

But my bluebirds returned a few of weeks ago, which always makes me happy. But the deer? They have decimated my camellias and mountain laurels and red rhododendrons. Not all of them but enough. For Valentine’s Day, my husband bought me a Wireless Deer fence. I’m excited for the ground to be thawed enough to try it out.

And other garden woes, the voles ate the roots of at least three rose bushes. I say at least because that’s what I have discovered so far. There is one bush I wonder about but only time will tell .

I have ordered four bare root roses and am toying around with a fifth because it may not have really survived the winter. I’m not sure yet.

What is on order?

• Old Gay Hill Red China
• Blush Noisette
• Rose de Rêscht
• Eden Red Climber

What I am thinking about adding another one of is Champney’s Pink Cluster. Or a Bouebon named Kronprincessin Viktoria.

Some perennials arrived from Brandywine Cottage.

Here’s what I got:

• Angels Bush
• Crocosima Emily McKenzie
• Anemone September Charm
• Pervoskia Blue Jean Baby
• Lady’s Mantle

Now yesterday was a bit of a challenge. It started out super warm in the morning and then the temperature just plummeted and it snowed again. It was pretty and it’s gone, but it’s chilly again so I have to watch what plants I am buying because right now I am operating without my greenhouse. My original greenhouse took a tree hit during one of the storms last year and the new ones is not up yet.

My last word for tonight? My seeds have sprouted really quickly! What am I growing? Here is the list:

• Peppers: Friggitello (sweet)
  Hot Portugal
  Aleppo
  Italian Cayenne
  Jalapeño Traveler
• Tomatoes:
  Big Brandy
  Midnight Snack
  Costolutto Florentino
• Tuscan Basil
• Neopolitan Basil
• Big California cut and come again zimnias
• Rosemary