Ben Vanheems, of the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust, is full of the joys of spring as early flowers reach their peak

April is, without doubt, the most exhilarating month of the year. Nature has well and truly thrown off her dour winter coat and, with it, the final vestiges of last year’s shrivelled growth. Lush new shoots are sprouting and the explosion of colourful flowers is a sensory delight.

The meadows, field margins, road verges and woodlands of Oxfordshire are filled with a plethora of wild flowers that catch the eye and captivate one’s spirit. April and early May sees a spring-flowering peak – a vital resource for pollinating insects and a cue that the growing season is now well under way.

If you fancy a wild escape from the drab rat-race you needn’t stray far; some of the greatest escapes are right here on our doorstep.

Stroll through any ancient woodland and you can expect to be greeted by a carpet of flowers. It’s a race against time to bloom before leaves in the canopy above unfurl themselves and obscure valuable sunlight.

The most stunning sensations come courtesy of our much-loved bluebell. The hanging bells nod in the slightest breeze, crowding en masse to create a breath-taking vision. Standing at the entrance to a bluebell wood to inhale the unique scent of the flowers is unforgettable.

The native bluebell is easily distinguished from the Spanish bluebell often sold to gardeners. The latter has pale blue flowers all the way around an erect stem, while our native bluebell carries its electric-blue blooms to one side, weighing down the stem to give it the distinctive ‘shepherd’s crook’ hooked end.

Wild garlic, or ramsons, illuminate shady woodlands with their vast white starry carpets. Once again the scent often heralds the sight of these flowers; the pungent garlic odour isn’t to everyone’s tastes as you walk among them crushing the leaves!

Wood anemones are another woodland beguiler. If you see these solitary white blooms you know that you’re in ancient wood-land. The plant can take around 100 years to spread just six feet, so a large carpet indicates the woodland has been undisturbed for a long time.

The floral frenzy isn’t confined to the woodland floor. Many trees also start their year with a jolly good show. A particular favourite for both its looks and wildlife value is the wild cherry – often seen growing in Chilterns beechwoods. Its sprays of blossom are all-too fleeting, so catch it while you can before the petals fall like discarded confetti.

Where is the best place to see these woodland bloomers? Sydlings Copse near Barton is easy to get to on the outskirts of Oxford, and has a deep wooded valley full of bluebells and flowering gorse on the heath. The sprawling beechwoods and hazel coppices at Warburg Nature Reserve near Nettlebed have a tranquil beauty that’s simply irresistible, and the open rides and glades offer contrasting patches of grassland with primroses.

Stepping out of the woods and into the wildflower meadows rewards the explorer with an entirely new suite of springtime favourites. Chief among these is Oxfordshire’s county flower, the snake’s-head fritillary. These purple and pink chequer-pattern flowers draw in admirers to Iffley Meadows, the Oxford City Council-owned nature reserve that BBOWT looks after. This Sunday the Wildlife Trust is leading special guided walks around the meadows.

Cowslips are widely found on open non-acidic grassland, dry and wet, though sadly these plants are not as widespread as they were. The clustered egg-yolk blooms traditionally formed the centrepieces to May Day celebrations and were commonly strewn on church paths to mark a springtime wedding. Blenheim Farm nature reserve in Charlbury provides an intimate space where you can enjoy cowslips that are surely harbingers of warmer days.

Now that spring is here there’s no excuse for sitting on the side-lines. Get out there to discover some of these stunning flowers for yourself and be transported to a place of calm and beauty.

There are guided walks at Iffley Meadows this Sunday.
For more details visit www.bbowt.org.uk/whats-on