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Percy Thrower (1913 - 1988) was a British gardener, broadcaster, horticulturalist and writer. He was best known for being Britain’s first ‘celebrity gardener’, with a television career spanning 40 years. During this time, he also worked in a regular Shropshire garden until the age of 61. Percy’s long career began in 1927 when he secured his first job as gardner at Horwood House, a large estate in Buckinghamshire. As his father was the long-term head gardener, Percy was to work under him at the home of his birthplace.
After four years, he independently secured a job at the Royal Gardens in Windsor Castle. He spent five years there under the head gardener, who was later to become his father-in-law. He then moved to Derbyshire to join the Derby Parks Department. After achieving his National Diploma of Horticulture, issued by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), he began to work his way up from journey to, eventually, Assistant Parks Superintendent.
During the Second World War, Percy was a lecturer at Derby Technical College. He was also a staunch participant in Dig For Victory, a campaign to get people growing their own fruit and vegetables again.
In 1946, Percy became the youngest ever Parks Superintendent, securing the coveted role at Shrewsbury city centre’s The Quarry. At the age of 32, he had already reached the pinnacle job of his profession. He would remain in the post for 28 years.
It was whilst working at Shrewsbury he got his big break into television. After the war, the dingle in The Quarry was in an awful state and Percy’s task was to restore it. In 1947 a guest visited Quarry Lodge and enquired who was in charge of the gardens. Once he found Percy he offered him a role on television. Percy immediately accepted.
He then began sharing his knowledge on television shows. He appeared on 1957’s BBC’s Gardening Club, then Gardeners’ World from 1968. He made appearances on Morecambe & Wise and was also the resident gardener for 14 years on BBC's Blue Peter children's programme. Percy was even the subject of This Is Your Life.
In 1974, he retired from his role as Superintendent and went into media full-time. He began a weekly column for the Daily Mail and also contributed to other broadsheets and gardening magazines.
He was dropped by the BBC a year later when he signed a contract for some commercials with independent television.
In the first ten years following on from his retirement, he wrote his autobiography My Lifetime of Gardening, received the Victoria Medal of Honour (the RHS’ highest honour) and collected a Member of the British Empire (MBE) medal.
He decided to host European gardening weekends and tours deep into his retirement, until he fell ill with Hodgkin’s Disease. He passed away in March 1988.
He is remembered with a sweet pea named after him, the Lathyrus odoratus ‘Percy Thrower’, as well as the Percy Thrower Garden Centre on Thrower Road in Shrewsbury.
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