THE wildflowers of Worcestershire have a special place in my childhood memories. I still make a point of meandering through local woods in late April and early May relishing the sight of those pale blue carpets of bluebells accompanied by their delicate aroma.

I can remember walking through a whole field of cheery nodding yellow cowslips – one of my favourites - when I was a child but sadly these are a rarity today due to the loss of habitat and advancement of agriculture. However cowslips and wild primroses are beginning to reappear in good numbers along grass verges in early spring.

Very occasionally I have seen swathes of red poppies dominating a meadow in the county – a breathtakingly beautiful sight for anyone to behold.

Although naturally occurring wildflowers are not as obvious as they once were, it seems people are keen to know more about them and the British conservation charity Plantlife is running a great way for families to discover more about this colourful aspect of our countryside.

It is offering families the chance to take part in the Great British Wildflower Hunt – the UK’s first large-scale interactive guide to wild flowers.

The charity recently commissioned a survey which showed 70 per cent of those asked wanted to know more about the flowers growing around them – even though the Oxford Junior Dictionary has now dropped words like bluebell and buttercup.

A spokesman for Plantlife said: “We know the public want to know more about the splashes of yellow, pink, purple and white they see daily, whether on a walk to the shops, on a run in the park or seen from the window of a car.”

The hunt offers people a simple way of getting back to nature this summer while discovering the wildflowers growing locally and learning more about them and how to identify them.

It offers everyone the opportunity to have fun and boost their botanical knowledge like never before and it can help families learn together, giving them the confidence to identify the wildflowers that are growing in their nearby urban park, meadow, field or woodland.

The charity adds that spending time outdoors and in nature is good for general health and wellbeing and taking part in the Great British Wildflower Hunt is an excellent way to do this during the summer holidays.

Marian Spain, chief executive of Plantlife said: “Lots of us love wildflowers and want to know more. The Great British Wildflower Hunt is designed to do just that. You can do it on your phone or print off the sheets and take them with you while you’re walking the dog, with toddlers in the park or out on a country stroll.

“It’s all about people reconnecting with wildflowers. It is part of our Forget-me-not campaign, which Plantlife developed in response to the Oxford Junior Dictionary dropping plant names like bluebell and blackberry from its latest edition - for many children today they are not as relevant.

“But if you think back to a really happy moment in your childhood – are you inside or outside? Plantlife’s bet is that you are outside, surrounded by nature.”

To take part in the hunt simply visit https://www.plantlife.org.uk/wildflowerhunt/ and follow the steps.

The hunt includes nearly 50 flowers to identify and allows hunters to filter photos by colour, mark off flowers spotted and earn flower points to be shared on social media via #WildflowerHunt. Firm favourites like buttercups and red clover earn users one star, while rarer gems like common spotted orchid and harebell are three-pointers.

Dr Trevor Dines, Plantlife botanical specialist, said: “White, yellow, pink, blue... wildflowers appear in the cracks in the pavement, under hedgerows and by our roadsides. But what are their names? It’s exciting to know that people have told us they want to know more about the ‘extraordinary ordinary’ pop of colour in a normal day – particularly over half the 16-24 year olds we polled.

“The Great British Wildflower Hunt gives you the facts and folklore in an easy, fun way, and you can share information on social media and find out what other people have found in your neighbourhood.”

Some wildflowers are only just coming into their best, usually blooming a bit later in summer. In the next few weeks, keep an eye out for yarrow, rosebay willowherb and blackberry, as well as a few invasive non-native species like butterfly bush and Himalayan balsam.

“If you do know about wild flowers, this is a really easy way to share that enthusiasm with the younger generation,” said Dr Dines. “I learnt so much from my parents and grandparents, and that generosity of spirit is what we want to encourage.”

• The survey showed that older generations know more about wild flowers than younger ones.

• Only four per cent of 16-24 year-olds were able to name red clover correctly, compared to 45 per cent of those aged 55 or older.

• Worryingly, less than half (49 per cent) of 16-24 year olds were able to name bluebell - the nation’s favourite wildflower - correctly, compared to 83 per cent of those aged 55 or older.

More information about wildflowers can also be found by visiting the Wildlife Trusts website at http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife/species-explorer/wildflowers and visiting local nature reserves which can be found by logging on to http://www.worcswildlifetrust.co.uk/wildlife/reserves.

• Plantlife is a British conservation charity working nationally and internationally to save threatened wild flowers, plants and fungi. It owns nearly 4,500 acres of nature reserve across England, Scotland and Wales where more than 80 per cent of the UK’s wild flowers can be found. It has 11,000 members and supporters and HRH The Prince of Wales is the patron.

• Plantlife’s team of dedicated conservation experts work with landowners, businesses, conservation organisations, community groups and governments, pushing boundaries to save our rarest flora and ensure familiar flowers and plants continue to thrive.

• Its nature reserves include two in Worcestershire and three in Herefordshire. They are Upton Ham, near Upton-upon-Severn - visit http://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/nature-reserves-important-plant-areas/nature-reserves/upton-ham; Stockwood Meadows near Inkberrow – visit http://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/nature-reserves-important-plant-areas/nature-reserves/stockwood-meadows; The Lugg Meadow near Hereford – visit http://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/nature-reserves-important-plant-areas/nature-reserves/lugg-meadow; Joan’s Hill Farm, Checklye, Herefordshire - visit www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/nature-reserves-important-plant-areas/nature-reserves/joans-hill-farm; and Davies Meadows, Calver Hill, Notron Canon, Herefordshire – visit www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/nature-reserves-important-plant-areas/nature-reserves/davies-meadows.