SLIDESHOW: Exciting artists and gardens pulled in the crowds at open weekend

The collaboration between Hebden Bridge Arts Festival and Open Studios saw over 30 horticulturists open their gates and 91 artists welcome people into the studios where they make their work.

The annual Open Studios event is an opportunity for art lovers to meet the town’s creative community who work in many different styles and talk about their working processes before buying bespoke works.

Record numbers of gardeners joined in the Open Gardens events showing off a wide variety of green spaces passing on tips to visitors as they wandered round.

CBeebies celebrity gardener Mr Bloom was at the Town Hall introducing toddlers to the joys of gardening in a fun filled session and Her Outdoors led a welly planting session.

A feature for the Open Gardens was a river talk taking in Salem Gardens, tea and cakes at Hebden Bridge Bowling Club before heading off to a poetry reading at the Blue Pig pub. Local poet Winston Plowes compared the poetry reading and launched his latest collection of verse, 'Hebden's Bridges', complete with limited edition postcards published in conjunction with the worldwide Origami Poetry projects.

Arts Festivals Artistic Director Helen Meller said: “The response to the Open Weekend exceeded even our wildest expectations as the artists’ studios were really busy every day with people keen to find out how the incredible works on show were created.

“The open gardeners were amazed at the number of people coming round their green pride and joys. There was something very special watching families have a go at bowls and croquet in the sunshine down at the Bowling Club as they made their made down to the poetry reading.”