Introduced:  1983, David Austin, UK
Class:  Shrub / English
Zones:  5-9
Parentage:  'Charles Austin' x (seedling x 'Iceberg')
Flowers:  Butter yellow, cupped, 3 1/2"
Height/Width:  10 feet x 8 feet (warm climates)
5 feet x 4 feet (cool climates)
Fragrance:  Strong Tea Rose
Of note:  Unusual butter yellow color on an old-fashioned cupped bloom. Reliable re-bloom.  Vigorous growth can be a double-edged sword - 'Graham Thomas' can get huge in warm climates.

'Graham Thomas' is one of the David Austin English Roses which, upon it's introduction to America, confounded gardeners with astounding growth.  Growing to 4 feet or so in England, 'Graham Thomas' is capable of reaching 10 feet in the warmer climates of the southern United States.   No worries; just make sure you give this robust bush room to grow.  If you do have the room, it will be difficult to find a more lovely and distinctive rose.

Rich, buttery yellow blooms are produced in clusters of seven to nine on terminal buds.  Form is cupped, Old Rose elegance.  I cannot suggest strongly enough that you give this rose a try if you have the room.  Northern gardeners should not have nearly as much problem with the size issue.

Disease resistance is good, although mildew may show up from time to time.  Due to disease, foliage may become a bit sparse as the growing season proceeds.  Growth is strong and habit is somewhat upright at the base.  Fragrance is strong, a trait which David Austin breeds selectively for.

Named for Graham Stuart Thomas, a leading rose authority.  In his forward to the book Old Roses and English Roses, he notes that while the color of his namesake is surely rare, one can find similar colors in several of the roses of the past (Buff Beauty, Alister Stella Gray, and Golden Dawn).