As the selection grew so did the idea of a business that would later be established. By 1889 it had developed into a successful mail order operation and would be the foundation of a horticultural enterprise that would stay in the Scarff family for generations.
By 1902, the business garnered enough success to allow William to build the family mansion known as “White Oaks,” according to the Clark County Historical Society.
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Over the decades, the business would grow, expanding its services as well as attracting clients from other states.
Some members of the family would also be known for their work in the community as well as participating in various county organizations.
However, the nursery, along with the 540 acres it currently operates, was recently sold to a turf supplier based in Franklin, marking the first time since its inception that the business will not be owned by the Scarff family.
The acquisition was completed in the end of May with ownership being transferred to Henderson Turf Farms. The sale covered the entire operation of Scarff’s, which grows trees, shrubs and evergreens for wholesale as well as offers landscaping services.
Neither party disclosed the amount of the transaction. However, the address of the nursery, 411 N. Dayton Lakeview Road, and associated land parcels were listed as being sold for a total of $2,136,500, according to the Clark County Auditor’s office.
The decision to sell the operation as well as the land that had been tied to the Scarff family for over a century followed last year’s passing of Peter Scarff, who was diagnosed with cancer and was the last one in his family to run the business.
“It was very tough. All of us grew up on the nursery. It is not a business that happens over there. We all lived it our entire lives. My brother loved it dearly,” his sister Carrie Scarff told the News-Sun.
“To have to make that decision was extremely difficult. But we knew it was the right decision and everyone was in agreement that it was what we needed to do,” she added.
Henderson Turf Farm first approached the Scarff family last fall looking to either lease or purchase land to grow sod. Those conversations later grew to a complete acquisition.
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Scott Cline, the president of Henderson Turf, said that the Scarff family expressed interest in not only selling the land but the business as well. His company was looking to expand its operations.
“They will still offer the same type of quality service and plant selections right now. The biggest change is that we are a pretty tech savvy company with the use of automation and software,” Cline added.
The general operations of Scarff’s Nursery is expected to stay relatively the same and will operate under the same name for the time being.
“We couldn’t ask for a better arrangement and sale,” said Carrie’s father William Scarff Sr., who is also known as Bill.
“There was a lot of sadness after, it being in our family for 131 years. I live right there and I know every stone on the nursery,” he added.
Regarding the acquisition, Bill, who ran the family business from 1975 to 2000, said he can still visit the nursery and partake without interfering with its operations.
“It is like living in a park, but without having any responsibility. Which means a lot,” he added, noting that the nursery is close to his property.
Scarff’s Nursery, which at one point had up to 120 employees, would become a staple in western Clark County. The family that operated it would become known in the industry as some of its members served with state and national organizations related to horticultural.
Four of the Scarff’s served as president of the Ohio Nurseryman’s Association, according to a news release about the nursery and its acquisition.
In addition, Bill served on the prestigious White House Grounds Advisory Committee, working with first ladies ranging from Lady Bird Johnson to Hilary Clinton.
He also served as the president of the American Association of Nurserymen in 1989.
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Other members of the family also got involved in community organizations. That included Peter being on the board of Tecumseh Local School District and Bill’s late wife Jane, who at one time was vice-president of the nursery, serving as the president of the local United Way and the Springfield Foundation.
The family was also involved in campaigns to raise money for the construction of sections of Clark State’s campus as well as active in the faith-based community.
The origins of the nursery that stretches along North Dayton-Lakeview Road as well as the Scarff’s ties to the land that spans more than a century was featured in an exhibit at the Clark County Historical Society in 2015. It told the story of the businesses through its most basic product: plants.
“I think that the Scarffs over the generations felt that having a business that thrived in western Clark County, meant they needed to give back,” Carrie said. “All the Scarffs involved in the nursery were very involved in the community and made contributions all along the way.”
That legacy was noted when her brother Peter passed away last August with some referring to him as “a staple of the New Carlisle community.”
Rhonda Ledford — the board president of the Gateway Business Group, a business coalition that serves western Clark County— said that the Scarff family is very well known in the area.
‘“If you live in this part of the community, everybody recognizes that name,” Ledford said, noting that Scarff’s Nursery was a member of Gateway.
She said that both Bill and his son Peter were really supportive when it came to local businesses and would share their knowledge of the area with the group as well as what could be done to build up the community.
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“Peter was born and raised here and was a wealth of information regarding the land and the area,” Ledford said.
A small portion of the nursery’s land has also been used as a community garden. Cline said that Henderson Turf will continue to honor that arrangement.
In terms of larger community involvement, the turf supplier’s owner Todd Henderson said they expect to take it one step at a time with the goal of eventually expanding the staff and hiring more local talent.
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