Wedding Open Day at Westleigh in Lea

So another brand new venue for 2010, Westleigh is a bit of a hidden jewel I'd say, the outdoor spaces are superb, ideal for a Marquee wedding, the decked terrace is spectacular and the function suites modern and fresh. Westleigh is part of the University of Central Lancashire and is used mainly as a conferencing and meeting facility during the week but at the weekends it changes it's personality completely and opens it's doors to Romance!
The purpose built conference and banqueting space is huge but with clever room dividers it can be adjusted to suit your needs from sixty to two hundred, it's fully licensed for Civil Ceremonies too.
There are great views of the park land surrounding the house
For the open day we'd created a collection of wintery wedding bouquets and table designs including lots of our favourite seasonal Orchids, Roses and Nerines

Mark who is part of a very lovely waiting on team at Westleigh was on hand all day handing out delicious Canapes to all of the guests, of course another huge benefit for Westleigh is their endless supply of waiters and waitresses from the University.
Michael is head chef, he has a good pedigree, working in some top notch wedding venues across the North West before finally arriving in this state of the art brand spanking new kitchen, his canapes were first class and I'm really looking forward to seeing and sampling his signature dishes over the coming year!
Home made biscuits straight out of the oven yumm!
Phil Garlington, fabulous photographer and good friend of mine, his work is sublime, he did take some images on the day, a little impromptu photo shoot so I will share his magic with you very soon! & Howard Wing singing superstar!Golden Top Table design
The gowns were provided by my great friends Gill & Georgina from Dreamcatcher Bridal in Wesham, their gowns are simply exquisite, they have an enormous amout of variety including some of the very best designers; Suzanne Neville, Kate Sherford and Sassi Holford to name only three, their models were so beautiful too.

I adore this Horse & Carriage from a Touch of Class Carriages, the horses were so immaculate and gentle too, here's their contact information
Anglea and Walter Tel:01772 815566 Email: wpostlethwaite@yahoo.co.uk

Millie the most perfect Flower Girl ever

Super shiny and gleeming cars from JA Fellows Vintage and Modern Cars My better half Jason
And the gorgeous girls of the Westleigh C&B team from left to right

Debbie Machin
Nicola Hanmer
Becky Eldridge
Julie Clarke
The rich Christmassy candelabra looked fabulous on the table with matching chair covers dressed by Cakes Occasion Balloons


Vanda Orchids looked stunning in the goldfish bowl design
The gardens really are sensational

Phil Garlington working some photography magic
I love this terrace area, it's just so perfectApparantly the acoustics are great too!A bit of fancy napkin work











Black Magic Vanda & Paphiopedilum Orchids are combined with deep pink Cyclamen in this dramatic bouquet, can't wait to show you Phil Garlington's pictures of it.



Some very delicious cakes from the lovely Cheryl at Too Nice to Slice

And some Hair and Make up demonstrations entertained us throughout the day from The Beauty Room and Roberts Steel Hair, a delicious Chocolate fountain from SJ Enterprises and Ren Papperie - Stationary
Gowns from Dreamcatcher Bridal
And then the visitors descended, everyone seemed really impressed...


We had a lovely day, many thanks to Nicola and Becky for their organisation and hospitality!

Multiple customer Question/Questions: (This set of questions is often asked and asked by many customers ~ so here is my best advice/suggestions)How should I prune my hydrangea? Is there something that could be added to my hydrangea that would turn the pink flowers blue? Is this a good idea?

Answer: (To the best of my ability) The hydrangea, macrophylla, is widely used in different zones of our state. It comes from Japan, is deciduous, has a symmetrically rounded growth habit, and grows 4-6 feet high and as wide. It does well as a landscape shrub or in a container. The blue and pink colors of the hydrangeas depend on the amount of aluminum in the soil that is absorbed by the roots.
The blue flowers appear on the hydrangea that has a soil pH of 5.5 or less.
In alkaline soil, it is difficult achieve a pH of 5.5 or less.

This normally means we have pink flowers since the aluminum is tied up in an insoluble form that cannot be absorb by the roots.

White cultivars are generally white and are not affected by the soil's pH.

Flowers grown for the florist trade have lime or superphosphate added to the soil mixture, which will tie up the absorption of aluminum resulting in pink to red flowers.


For blue flowers, they add aluminum sulfate (51.0%) to lower the pH in the soil. You can purchase this at your nursery. Depending on the size of the plant, add 1 tablespoon to cup per plant in late fall. Make 2 to 3 more applications in the early spring and again in late spring depending on your existing soil pH. This treatment must be done now and again next spring to change the flower color. A simple test kit for pH is available at your nursery.

The eastern side of the house is the best location in very warm areas or plant in partial shade, to avoid the hot afternoon sun. This plant likes a well-drained, porous soil. The flower buds are formed at the terminal of the stem (apical dominance) of last year's growth. If this flower bud is damaged, other flower buds down the stem will develop. If you cut the tips of the branches before the flowering season you will have more branches and flowers. This could cause too many flowers that are crowded together and will not fully develop on the shady side
The first 1-3 years the plant will not need to be pruned, except for cross or unsightly branches which should be cut to the ground. For the life of the plant, you must keep the center open to the light and air for a healthy bush. To cut flowers for the house or removing dying flowers, cut between the bottom of the flower head and above the first set of leaves. Cutting lower than the first set of leaves could stimulate unwanted growth from the lower buds at the leaf nodes.

Maintenance pruning can be done now by removing the dead, weak, diseased and broken stems on both the new and old wood by cutting to the ground as close as possible. Do not remove more than one-third of the old wood at a time. I like to leave some of the inside wood longer than some of the outside to keep the bush from becoming a "roundy-moundy." Keep the inside open to light. By pruning now, it should give the plant sufficient time for the new growth to harden before freezing weather.

The plant can be pruned just above a node, remembering that next year's flowers will grow on the new growth of the old stems. To get the biggest flower clusters, reduce the number of stems per plant; for numerous medium and smaller clusters, keep more stems.

If you have an overgrown or neglected shrub, I would cut it back to within 12 inches of the ground. Then cut back week or diseased stems followed by old wood stems near the center to the ground. If done now, you may still have a few blossoms next year and many more the following year. Continue the maintenance program next year.

Hydrangeas like soils high in organic matter. Compost worked into the soil before planting and adding peat moss will help to make the soil acid. Wood chips or other mulch material will help the plant throughout the year. A balanced fertilizer, such as 15.15.15 or a slow release fertilizer (Osmocote, Nutricote or Polygon) 4 ounces of 10.10.10 should be placed at the base of the plant and deep watered before the leaves appear. Here is a picture of my fall compost, it's free and you can find it everywhere in New England ;)

Again, white cultivars are not affected by soil pH. However, availability of aluminum may result in a pink or blue eye in the flower, depending on its presence or absence in the soil.

Hydrangeas do very nicely in containers as you can control the soil pH as well as the location of the pot for best blooms.