Wildflower enthusiasts in Nevada County breathed a sigh of relief this week after a much-needed rain doused the foothills already awakening in spring bloom. Every year, locals map out their favorite wildflower areas. Some take a short drive to Hidden Falls Regional Park near Auburn. Many visit Bridgeport’s popular Buttermilk Bend Trail winding above the South Yuba River. Native plant lovers are especially fond of the “Mehrten meadow” of Hell’s Half Acre found on the western edge of Grass Valley, south of Rough and Ready Highway where botanists have recorded more than 100 species of spring flowering plants. A number …