Fuchsia & Camellia Catalogue from L.R. Russell Ltd (1956) by L.R. Russell LtdGarden Museum
Graham Stuart Thomas (1909–2003) was born in Cambridge into a family of keen amateur gardeners and musicians. For his sixth birthday he was given a fuchsia which sparked his love of plants. By the time he was eight he had decided to become a gardener.
Orchids at the Cambridge Botanic Garden (1905) by UnknownGarden Museum
At 17, he joined Cambridge University Botanic Garden, which enabled him to also attend university lectures on horticulture and botany. Here he gained practical and theoretical knowledge that would become the foundation of his career and worked on a design project for the rose garden there.
Clematis Montana on Loggia, Munstead House, Surrey (1886) by Gertrude JekyllGarden Museum
In 1930, Thomas joined the then famous Six Hills Nursery in Stevenage, working under alpine expert Clarence Elliott.
The following year he became foreman at T. Hilling & Co (Hillings), a renowned 300-acre nursery near Chobham, Surrey.
Rosa Arvensis and Delphiniums, Munstead House, Busbridge, Surrey (1886) by Gertrude JekyllGarden Museum
Whilst working at Hillings Thomas met the formidable garden designer Gertrude Jekyll, then aged 88, when he wrote her a letter and she invited him for a cup of tea and a chat about gardening.
She became a mentor to the young gardener, passing on her theories of garden design as an art.
Graham Stuart Thomas Rose List (c.1970) by Graham Stuart ThomasGarden Museum
It was around this time he started to collect old shrub and climbing rose varieties, many of which had fallen out of favour due to their single flowering.
Roses in a Vase (c. 1880 - c. 1889) by Ignace-Henri-Jean-Théodore Fantin-LatourHarvard Art Museums
He promoted them for their grace, scent and flower form at a time when floribundas and hybrid teas were popular, both for their continuous flowering and bold colours.
Sunningdale Nursery Catalogue Page (1953) by Sunningdale NurseryGarden Museum
Thomas became partner at Sunningdale Nurseries – then the most revered nursery in the country – with Jim Russell. The partners became known for planting schemes that focused on form and foliage, as much as flowers.
Sunningdale Nurseries Catalogue (1953) by Sunningdale NurseriesGarden Museum
At Sunningdale, he continued to develop his rose collection and also began introducing new or rediscovered garden plants – notable introductions from this period include the perennial Geranium 'Claridge Druce'.
Still Life of White Roses (1870) by Henri Fantin-LatourThe Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Thomas's first important publication about roses was a booklet called "The Manual of Shrub Roses", describing all the varieties, with advice on cultivation. In the foreword he described the booklet's aim as: "To bring forth these lovely things from retirement."
Graham Stuart Thomas Correspondence (1962/1966) by VariousGarden Museum
His classic books on roses – “Old Shrub Roses” (1955), “Shrub Roses of Today” (1962) and “Climbing Roses Old and New” (1965) followed and provided information about the history of the genus.
Polyanthus flowers growing between lines of hazel trees in the Nuttery at Sissinghurst Castle, Cranbrook, Kent (1955/1959) by John GayHistoric England
For 20 years, Stuart Thomas also worked as Gardens Adviser to the National Trust, shaping the future of historic gardens such as Mount Stewart, Sissinghurst, and over 100 more.
White Garden at Sissinghurst Castle, Kent (1986) by Diana Baskervyle-GleggGarden Museum
View from Tower, Sissinghurst Castle, Kent (c.1985) by Diana Baskervyle-GleggGarden Museum
White Rose at Mottisfont Abbey, Hampshire (c.1980) by Dr Christopher ThackerGarden Museum
His rose collection found a home at Mottisfont Abbey. This national collection of roses dating from ore-1900 was his masterpiece and is still enjoyed by visitors each year.
Rose Plantings by Graham Stuart Thomas at Mottisfont Abbey (c.1980) by Dr Christopher ThackerGarden Museum
Objects belonging to Graham Stuart Thomas (1940/1990) by UnknownGarden Museum
Stuart Thomas’ iconic book “The Old Shrub Roses” remains an authoritative guide.
The Garden Museum has a number of items in its collection that belonged to Graham Stuart Thomas, all donated after his death in 2003 by Antony Stuart Thomas, his nephew. These include his gardening outfit and a variety of his tools.
