James Wong (ethnobotanist)
Encyclopedia
James Wong is an ethnobotanist
, television presenter and garden designer
in the United Kingdom
, best known for presenting the television series Grow Your Own Drugs
and reporting on Countryfile
.
to a British mother and Malaysian father, Wong was raised in Singapore
and Malaysia. Upon being awarded an academic scholarship, he returned to the UK in 1999 to study at the University of Bath
. He then trained at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, and the University of Kent
, gaining a Master of Science
degree in Ethnobotany
, graduating with distinction.
. The award-winning BBC Two
series demonstrates a number of natural remedies sourced from plants., and soon became the highest-rated gardening series on UK television. At the time of writing the show has run to two seasons, as well as a one-off Christmas special, Grow Your Own Christmas. Wong has also authored the two best-selling books that tie-in with each series of the television show.
Wong is also a regular face on the hit BBC One
rural affairs series Countryfile
since its reformatting in April 2009. In 2008, he was one of the regular presenters on the show Fossil Detectives
, which was broadcast initially on BBC Four
and then repeated on BBC Two. He has also appeared on BBC's Gardeners' World
, Channel 4's Richard & Judy
, The Alan Titchmarsh Show
on ITV, and on BBC Breakfast
.
In his capacity as a garden designer, he has become a four-time Royal Horticultural Society RHS
medal winner
for gardens he co-designed through the design studio he co-founded, Amphibian Designs, at the Chelsea Flower Show
and the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show
. In his first garden the 2004 Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, he became the yougest-ever medal-winning designer at the event, and is currently the youngest 4-time RHS medal winner.
Wong has designed an Ethnobotanical Garden for the University of Kent
, where he is a guest lecturer.
His research has taken him to highland Ecuador
, as well as to China
and Java
.
, South West London. He speaks fluent Spanish
, English
and Mandarin Chinese.
Ethnobotany
Ethnobotany is the scientific study of the relationships that exist between people and plants....
, television presenter and garden designer
Garden designer
The term garden designer can refer either to an amateur or a professional who designs the plan and features of gardens. Amateurs design their gardens for their own properties. Professionals, with experienced skills, design gardens that benefit clients...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, best known for presenting the television series Grow Your Own Drugs
Grow Your Own Drugs
Grow Your Own Drugs is a British television documentary series, first broadcast on BBC Two, exploring the many remedies which can be provided by plants. James Wong, an ethnobotanist, presents the series and takes the view that people should start making their own remedies in order to save money and...
and reporting on Countryfile
Countryfile
Countryfile is a British magazine-style television programme produced by BBC Birmingham, first aired on 24th July 1988, which reports on rural and environmental issues within the United Kingdom. For its first 20 years it was fronted by broadcaster John Craven, until he stepped back from the role of...
.
Early life
Born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to a British mother and Malaysian father, Wong was raised in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and Malaysia. Upon being awarded an academic scholarship, he returned to the UK in 1999 to study at the University of Bath
University of Bath
The University of Bath is a campus university located in Bath, United Kingdom. It received its Royal Charter in 1966....
. He then trained at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, and the University of Kent
University of Kent
The University of Kent, previously the University of Kent at Canterbury, is a public research university based in Kent, United Kingdom...
, gaining a Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
degree in Ethnobotany
Ethnobotany
Ethnobotany is the scientific study of the relationships that exist between people and plants....
, graduating with distinction.
Career
At the age of 27, Wong became the presenter of his own television series Grow Your Own DrugsGrow Your Own Drugs
Grow Your Own Drugs is a British television documentary series, first broadcast on BBC Two, exploring the many remedies which can be provided by plants. James Wong, an ethnobotanist, presents the series and takes the view that people should start making their own remedies in order to save money and...
. The award-winning BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
series demonstrates a number of natural remedies sourced from plants., and soon became the highest-rated gardening series on UK television. At the time of writing the show has run to two seasons, as well as a one-off Christmas special, Grow Your Own Christmas. Wong has also authored the two best-selling books that tie-in with each series of the television show.
Wong is also a regular face on the hit BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
rural affairs series Countryfile
Countryfile
Countryfile is a British magazine-style television programme produced by BBC Birmingham, first aired on 24th July 1988, which reports on rural and environmental issues within the United Kingdom. For its first 20 years it was fronted by broadcaster John Craven, until he stepped back from the role of...
since its reformatting in April 2009. In 2008, he was one of the regular presenters on the show Fossil Detectives
Fossil Detectives
Fossil Detectives is a 2008 BBC Television documentary series in which presenter Hermione Cockburn travels across Great Britain exploring fossil sites and discovering the latest scientific developments in geology and palaeontology.-Production:...
, which was broadcast initially on BBC Four
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
and then repeated on BBC Two. He has also appeared on BBC's Gardeners' World
Gardeners' World
Gardeners' World is a long-running BBC television programme about gardening that continues to this day. Its first episode was filmed in 1968, presented by Ken Burras and came from Oxford Botanical Gardens. The magazine BBC Gardeners' World is a tie-in to the programme. Most of its episodes have...
, Channel 4's Richard & Judy
Richard & Judy
Richard & Judy was a British magazine/chat show which was presented by married couple Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. It originally aired on Channel 4 from 2001 to 2008 but later moved to digital channel Watch in October 2008. It featured the world's most famous stars, along with their Book Club...
, The Alan Titchmarsh Show
The Alan Titchmarsh Show
The Alan Titchmarsh Show is a British daytime TV chat show broadcast between 3 and 4pm weekdays on the ITV Network.-Format:The programme made its debut on ITV in 2007. It focused on the theme of "The Best of British" focusing on food, entertainment and celebrities in a mid-afternoon slot...
on ITV, and on BBC Breakfast
BBC Breakfast
BBC Breakfast is the morning television news programme simulcast on BBC One and the BBC News channel. It is presented live from BBC Television Centre in White City, West London, and contains a mixture of news, sport, weather, business and feature items...
.
In his capacity as a garden designer, he has become a four-time Royal Horticultural Society RHS
Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society was founded in 1804 in London, England as the Horticultural Society of London, and gained its present name in a Royal Charter granted in 1861 by Prince Albert...
medal winner
for gardens he co-designed through the design studio he co-founded, Amphibian Designs, at the Chelsea Flower Show
Chelsea Flower Show
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, formally known as the Great Spring Show, is a garden show held for five days in May by the Royal Horticultural Society in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in Chelsea, London...
and the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show
Hampton Court Palace Flower Show
The Hampton Court Palace Flower Show is the largest flower show in the world. The Show is held in early July, and run by the Royal Horticultural Society at Hampton Court Palace in southwest London. The show features show gardens, floral marquees and pavilions, talks and demonstrations...
. In his first garden the 2004 Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, he became the yougest-ever medal-winning designer at the event, and is currently the youngest 4-time RHS medal winner.
Wong has designed an Ethnobotanical Garden for the University of Kent
University of Kent
The University of Kent, previously the University of Kent at Canterbury, is a public research university based in Kent, United Kingdom...
, where he is a guest lecturer.
His research has taken him to highland Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, as well as to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
.
Personal life
Wong lives in TwickenhamTwickenham
Twickenham is a large suburban town southwest of central London. It is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan...
, South West London. He speaks fluent Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Mandarin Chinese.
External links
- James Wong's Official Site
- Amphibian Designs - a garden design studio co-founded by James Wong
- Manchester Evening News - Nature boy James Wong
- Grow your own drugs: an interview with James Wong - The EcologistThe EcologistThe Ecologist is a British environmental publication founded in 1970 by Edward Goldsmith. It addresses a wide range of environmental subjects and promotes an ecological systems thinking approach through its news stories, investigations and opinion articles. The Ecologist encourages its readers to...
2nd July, 2009 - Burgbad Presents Endangered Plant Sanctuary At The Rhs Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, July 2008
- James Wong's blog on the Royal Horticultural Society Website