Graham Stuart Thomas Archives

Graham Stuart Thomas

A Life in the Garden Today is the birthday of Graham Stuart Thomas. GST was fundamentally a nurseryman and he lived a life fully immersed in the garden. His passion was sparked at a young age by a special birthday present he was given when he turned six: a beautiful potted fuchsia. In 2003. his…

April 3, 2020 Gardening for Resilience, Magnifying Glass for the Garden Tote, Nikolay Rumyantsev, John Burroughs, Kate Brandegee, Graham Stuart Thomas, The Overstory by Richard Powers, and The Wake-Robin by Rebecca Salsbury Palfrey Utter

Today we celebrate the birthday of a Russian Count who funded an expedition that led to the discovery of the California poppy. We’ll also learn about one of the country’s most beloved naturalists. We celebrate the life of the second woman to be professionally employed as a botanist in the United States. She died 100…

Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers, and Bamboos by Graham Stuart Thomas

As Heard on The Daily Gardener Podcast: Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers, and Bamboos by Graham Stuart Thomas This book came out in 2004 and Graham Stuart Thomas’s Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers, and Bamboos is a must-have for any gardener serious about their craft. This comprehensive tome, adorned with charming quotations and practical advice, offers a deep dive into…

July 11, 2019 National Rainier Cherry Day, David Prain, Charles Sumner Lambie, Hamilton Traub, Charles Joseph Sauriol, Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers, and Bamboos by Graham Stuart Thomas, and Deadheading

It’s National Rainier Cherry Day. Rainier cherries were bred at Washington State University by crossing Vans and Bings. They are one of the most delicate and challenging cherries to grow because of one big drawback: their thin red-yellow skin. This makes them super sensitive to the elements, and they bruise easily. Even if a grower…

Perennial Garden Plants by Graham Stuart Thomas

As Heard on The Daily Gardener Podcast: Perennial Garden Plants by Graham Stuart Thomas Hailed as a classic from its first publication, Perennial Garden Plants describes over 2,000 species and provides practical information on planting, seasonal flowering, color, propagation, cultivation, and the origins of plants. In this book, Graham Stuart Thomas said, “I have tried…

July 10, 2019 Parsley, Asa Gray, Melville T. Cook, Elvin McDonald, Spiranthes parksii, Roy Lancaster, Theodore Roethke, Perennial Garden Plants by Graham Stuart Thomas, Planting Shade Trees, and Bewitched

Are you growing parsley? I am. But I generally only plant the flat-leaf variety – since the curly leaf parsley is used mainly as a garnish. Parsley is a member of the Umbelliferae family, which also includes celery, carrots, dill, cilantro, caraway, cumin, and the poisonous hemlock. Brevities #OTD On this day in…

Graham Stuart Thomas

The Purposeful Perfectionist April 1, 2003 Today is the anniversary of the death of the horticulturist Graham Stuart Thomas (Books By This Author). He was 94. Graham was fundamentally a nurseryman and he lived a life fully immersed in the garden. Graham’s passion was sparked at a young age by a special birthday present he…

Three Gardens by Graham Stuart Thomas

As Heard on The Daily Gardener Podcast: Three Gardens by Graham Stuart Thomas This book came out in 1986, and the subtitle is With Notes on Their Design, Maintenance and Plants. Darling, have you ever craved a garden that reflects your soul, a living masterpiece to call your own? Then get ready to be enticed by…

April 17, 2019 William Cullen Bryant, Double Take Plants, John Tradescant the Elder, Graham Stuart Thomas, James McBride, Adolph Daniel Edward Elmer, Gilbert White, Mignonette, Sam Postlethwait, and the Celery Bog Nature Area

William Cullen Bryant wrote, “There is no glory in star or blossom till looked upon by a loving eye; There is no fragrance in April breezes till breathed with joy as they wander by.” That pretty much sums up what happens with the plants I’ve dubbed “double-takes”. A double-take plant is the one you first…