For centuries, children have made daisy chains, held buttercups under their chin and told the time with dandelion clocks but for many, these simple pleasures are no longer part of their lives. Even the word ‘buttercup’ isn’t included in the current Oxford Junior Dictionary reflecting that common wild flowers are simply not part of the language of today’s child. Yet research by Plantlife shows that 70% of the public want to know more about wild flowers…

Taking part in the Great British Wild Flower Hunt is a great way to enjoy flowers, whether you’re familiar with them or not. And by letting Plantlife know what you’ve found, you’ll help our work to make sure that there are more flowers and that people can enjoy them.

Flowers are beautiful and intriguing. Why not get down on your hands and knees and up close and personal with a flower? Look and enjoy. And find out a bit more.

How to take part

Simply go outside, somewhere you think there might be wild flowers and hunt! Choose somewhere close to home or travel a bit further if you wish. Records are welcome from anywhere. We’ve split the Wildflower Hunt into three sections:

• Towns and cities (parks, footpaths, school grounds, churchyards and so on)
• Countryside walks
• Down to the woods

Pick which you prefer but only choose your garden if you have a wild area.

Take a walk with your family, with friends or on your own if you want a little peace and quiet. You can walk for just a few minutes or cover a bigger area. See what you can spot.

Remember that your count is useful even if you do not see any flowers. We want to know what’s there – and what’s missing. That will help us campaign for more flowers and help you find more in the future.

For more information see the Great British Wildflower Hunt website.

Who is running the Wildflower Hunt?

Plantlife is running the Wildflower Hunt. We’re a charity dedicated to protecting the UK’s native plants and helping more people enjoy them.

Wild flowers are vital to our planet. So much nature depends on them – bees, butterflies and us. Flowers are just not as common as they were a few decades ago. By taking part in the Hunt, you’ll give us more information about where flowers can be found. This will help us to campaign for more wild flowers and help us give more information to people wanting to find more flowers. You’ll help us make the country a prettier place to live and better for wildlife.

Wild flowers, plants and fungi are the life support for all our wildlife and their colour and character light up our landscapes. But without our help, this priceless natural heritage is in danger of being lost. From the open spaces of our nature reserves to the corridors of government, we work nationally and internationally to raise their profile, celebrate their beauty, and to protect their future.