The title of James Wong's new book, accompanying his TV series running on BBC2, Grow Your Own Drugs, has raised a few eyebrows, but the young ethnobotanist (a scientist who studies how people use plants) aims to teach us how to use common plants to treat any number of ailments.
According to Wong, athlete's foot can be treated with a foot bath made of garlic (lots of it) sage and vinegar. A home-made viola and chamomile cream can soothe eczema. Instead of using toxic chemicals to deter mosquitos and midges, make a "pest pot-pourri" from dried rosemary, wormwood and sage. And you can lower your cholesterol by munching on a mix of artichokes, hawthorn berries, sugar, cinnamon and lime. Fascinating stuff, and strangely addictive reading. Grow Your Own Drugsis published by Collins (£16.99).