Blue Plaque: Ernest Henry Wilson

Ernest Wilson was an extraordinary British plant collector, botanist, and author, whose daring expeditions to remote parts of China and other East Asian countries introduced thousands of new plant species to Western horticulture. 

From Solihull nurseries to world fame
Born in Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire, Wilson’s passion for plants began at an early age. He served an apprenticeship as a gardener at nurseries in Solihull, then a village on the outskirts of Birmingham, where he developed a keen practical understanding of horticulture and also trained at Birmingham Botanical Gardens.  His talent and dedication led him to study evening classes at the Birmingham Technical School, and later at the Royal College of Science in South Kensington, London, followed by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

The making of “Chinese” Wilson
His pivotal career began in 1899 when he was commissioned by the famous Veitch Nurseries of Chelsea, London, to undertake a plant-hunting expedition to China. Over the next decade, Wilson embarked on several arduous and often perilous journeys, primarily in Western China, for Veitch and later for the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University in the United States. He carried a heavy Sanderson glass plate camera on his expeditions and created photographic records of his explorations – the photographs were considered as important as the specimens he brought back.  He earned the moniker “Chinese Wilson” due to his unparalleled success in collecting a vast array of previously unknown plant species, including trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants. He travelled extensively throughout China, Korea, Japan, and other parts of Asia, often enduring incredible hardships, including a serious accident that left him with a lifelong limp.  The World Heritage Site of Natural Beauty, Yakushima, credits Wilson as responsible for the first phase of environmental conservation in the area following a visit in 1914-1917.

Legacy in every garden
Wilson introduced an astounding number of plants that are now common in gardens worldwide. These include many varieties of primulas, lilies, maples, hydrangeas, azaleas, and, most famously, the Regal Lily (Lilium regale). His meticulous collection methods, detailed notes, and insightful observations contributed immensely to botanical knowledge. He also published several influential books detailing his explorations and the plants he discovered.

Ernest Henry Wilson tragically died in 1930 in a car accident in Massachusetts, USA.