VISITORS to Lydiard Park on Sunday will be able to play a part in the restoration of the estate by helping to map some of the flowers that have grown there over the past 400 years.

The grounds are currently carpeted in snowdrops and the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, which is conducting the survey, has already found several different varieties.

Project officer Sarah Finch-Crisp said they were planning to reintroduce horticulture and discovering what plants had been grown there in the past would help to make the gardens more authentic.

She added that the survey was only one of several planned.

"One of the key features of the Lydiard Park project is that there are many opportunities during the year for local people to become involved in surveys and investigations."

Work has already started on the £3m project to return the estate to its former glory, with £450,000 already committed and the rest to come as the project develops.

The results of the flower survey will be used to ensure the restoration is carried out sensitively and rare examples are not lost forever.