Searl and Sons' Botany Nursery

Searl and Sons  was a large nursery, florist and seedsmen company, started by Frederick Searl and his two boys, John Thomas and Frederick Henry in 1867. They had a top retail location in George Street, Sydney, where the Queen Victoria Building is currently located. The company were growing flowers from nurseries in prime land near Parramatta and later Newtown.

 In June 1887 Frederick and John Searl, together with John’s father-in-law William Stabback, purchased 23 acres in Banksmeadow, near Smith Street, Botany. They paid 736 pounds, 14 shillings and 9 pence for the land.

The area was prime land for many growers like market gardeners, farmers and nurserymen. The Botany area was low lying and the soil was very good for productivity. One other feature of the area was the abundance of natural water.

Searl & Sons developed a nursery over 17 acres of the land and produced flowering shrubs, ornamental trees, fruit trees and flower plants. There was also a cottage, stable, glasshouse, containing a large variety of orchids, and other greenhouses on the land.

Searl & Sons Botany Nursery

Frederick, John and later Frederick’s son William took great care in developing the Botany nursery and it became a showpiece for Searl & Sons, being regarded as one of the largest and most impressive nurseries of its kind in the Commonwealth.

The company even started to show visitors around the spectacular nursery, often meeting people off the tram and driving them to the site. However, it was advised to give good notice of arrival.

Searl & Sons began to fall into serious financial trouble after the death of Frederick Henry Searl in 1920. The next generation were struggling to keep the business afloat without the guidance of the more experienced Searls. In 1922, after holding a large number of stores and producing nurseries, only the Botany Nursery remained in Searl’s ownership and contributed produce for the business.

On August 13 1925 Searl & Sons transferred all assets to a public accountant for benefit of the company’s creditors. Due to this the Botany Nursery was sold at auction, ending the Searl’s involvement in it.