The cultivar was named for legendary rose horticulturalist, Graham Thomas.

The plant can reach 10 ft (3.0 m) in hot climates, but is difficult to train as a climber because of its rigid stems and upright habit.

David C. H. Austin (1926 – 2018) was an award-winning rose breeder, nursery owner and writer from Shropshire, England.

Some of his most popular roses include 'Wife of Bath' (1969), 'Graham Thomas' (1983), 'Abraham Darby' (1985), and 'A Shropshire Lad'.

[8] 'Graham Thomas' has been described as "the most popular" of Austin's creations and has won numerous horticultural awards.

It was the first Austin rose to win the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit at the Chelsea Flower show ten years after its introduction in 1993.