Born in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, England, October 12, 1831, James Gurney learned gardening from his father, and as a young man received an appointment as a gardener at the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew. He was in charge of the aquatics section.

The first Victoria at Kew was under his care and he was present when Queen Victoria, accompanied by, among other royals, the French president (later Napoleon III), went to view the first flowering. "'Gardener,' the Queen said to James Gurney, 'tell me how you succeeded in producing this wonderful plant,' - 'so I stepped forward,' explained Gurney; and when he told of this, one of the greatest moments in a long, blessed and useful life, his eyes would moisten." *

Gurney was appointed to a Royal Commission going to Africa for botanical research. Circumstances prevented him from leaving with the group which saved his life, as all of those who went died. Perhaps this is why he decided to move to the United States, at age 36, planning to settle in California. On the way there, while staying in St. Louis, he heard that an epidemic was raging on the west coast and elected to remain in St. Louis. He was short of funds and needed employment. The proprietor of his hotel suggested he see Henry Shaw, who was starting a garden outside the city.

Shaw was a businessman who had found great success in St. Louis. One of his many real estate acquisitions was a large tract of land southwest of the city where he built a country home. Shaw traveled widely and, in 1851, he visited the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, the Crystal Palace and Chatsworth. He returned home determined to create a garden on his property equal to Kew. In 1859 he opened "Shaw's Garden" to the public. The same year, he made a will that would create the Missouri Botanical Garden as a charitable trust upon his death.

In 1867 Shaw hired Gurney as his head gardener. It turned out they had been born only a few miles apart in England, possibly contributing to their lifelong friendship. Gurney was instrumental in major changes made to the Garden in subsequent years. He was also responsible for the concepts and design of Shaw's other gift to the city of St. Louis, Tower Grove Park. The Park was first authorized by a state law passed in 1867, and came into existence in 1868, when Shaw conveyed the land, approximately 300 acres, to the city.

Gurney's idea of a park was that it be walled in with green, tall trees and shrubs, so that it would become a place of restfulness, solace and spirituality, without external distractions. He personally planted or helped to plant nearly every tree in Tower Grove Park, though Henry Shaw was deeply involved. "'When we were planting Tower Grove Park one day, Mr. Shaw paused in his work of planting a tree and said, "Mr. Gurney, I shouldn't wonder if we're not doing more good for humanity than half the ministers."'" **

Gurney became the Park's Superintendent when Shaw died in 1889, all the while retaining his position with Missouri Botanical Garden and its Shaw School of Botany until 1903 when he began devoting full time to Tower Grove Park.

Aquatic plants, especially waterlilies, remained Gurney's first love. He was instrumental in making waterlilies an important feature of Tower Grove Park. He became well known as a specialist in their cultivation and hybridization. Working almost exclusively with tropical night bloomers, his earliest cultivar was N. 'Frank Trelease', named for the son of then MBG Director William Trelease. The next were N. 'Stella Gurney' (a day blooming "star" lily named for his daughter-in-law), 'James Gurney, Junior', 'Rufus J. Lackland' and 'D.R. Frances'. A number of others were later described by B.C. Berry in the Missouri Botanical Garden Bulletin. These include N. 'B.C. Berry', 'C.E. Hutchings', 'Emily Grant Hutchings', 'H.C. Haarstick', 'J.S. Walsh', and 'Tulipifera'.

Victoria was first grown in St. Louis by Gurney at MBG in 1894, in a special heated pool. The next and subsequent years Victorias were also grown in a heated pool at Tower Grove Park which had better lighting for evening display. Attendance increased dramatically in those first years as residents flocked to see the massive water platters.