As in December 2022, working in the Storey Gardens during January 2023 was hampered by the weather (some very cold days and some very wet days).
However this is what we achieved:
- Continued the ongoing task of weeding the paths but, as in December, we had to stop when the ground was frozen.
- Continued removing ivy from the Quaker Meeting House wall. Also dug out the ivy roots by the wall and bagged up the topsoil ready for future use.
- Cut back brambles alongside the Quaker Meeting House wall.
- Cut off large suckers from the sycamore alongside the Quaker Meeting House wall.
- Gathered up twigs and small branches that had fallen in the strong winds.
- Swept up leaves in both The Tasting Garden and the Copper Beech Garden.
- Cleared all the dead catnip and other plants that had died back in the garden opposite Lancaster Castle (which we call the Hollygon) to reveal the snowdrops coming up.
Plants in flower in the gardens during January included:
- mahonia
- winter flowering honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima)
- winter flowering cherry (Prunus autumnalis)
- winter aconites (Eranthis)
- snowdrops (starting to show)
- crocus (starting to show)
We also joined in the RSBP Big Garden Bird Watch 2023. This is reported in a separate blog post, click here for the details.
Clearing leaves by the border alongside the Meeting House wall. Photo by Ruth Standring-Cox 
Snowdrops in the snow in the Hollygon. Photo by Ruth Standring-Cox. 
Snowdrops in the winter sunshine by the Meeting House wall. Photo by Chris Wright. 
Mahonia in The Tasting Garden. January 2023. Photo by Bridget Cook. 
Winter Aconites in the Copper Beech Garden. January 2023. Photo by Bridget Cook. 
First crocuses showing. January 2023. Photo by Ruth Standring-Cox.