Born and educated in Geelong, Edward Edgar Pescott's aquired his first job in the early 1890s as a teacher in the Victorian Education department in Geelong, and later in East Gippsland. Later that decade, he was appointed to Orbost, and credited with several new locality records in East Gippsland flora. In the 1900s Pescott joined the newly formed orchard branch of the Department of Agriculture, and thus came into association with Charles French Snr and his son C.C. Brittlebank, H.W. Davey, F. Beuhne and other departmental officers who were also prominent members of the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria (FNCV). Although based in Melbourne, Pescott was stationed in the country, most notably Shepparton and the north-east, where he made some more locality findings.

From 1909-1931 Pescott was Lecturer and Principal of Burnley School of Horticulture, and the first lecturer on the subject of cultivating plants, his lectures being illustrated by a notable collection of slides photographed mainly by himself, mainly in situ. During these years, Pescott also found time to be the Government Pormologist (1917) and the Acting Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne (1922-1923); the Director/Organizer for Wildflower and Wild Nature Shows at Melbourne and St Kilda Town Halls, as well as being a recognized authority on acacias and native orchidaceae. He retired in 1937.

Awards
1890s Gold Medal of the Geelong Field Naturalists' Club for work on grasses
Silver Medal for work on ferns
Thesis on acacias gained him the Fellowship of the Linnean Society (London)

Membership
1906-1914 Honorary Secretary of the Wattle League of Victoria
1908-1914 One of the founders and Secretary of the Australian Federal Wattle League, and reckoning force in the recognition of the Wattle as the Australian National Flower
1913 Joined Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria (FNCV), conducted work mainly in preservation and botanical study of native flora, Honorary Secretary (one year), member of Plant Names Standing Committee until his death
1926-1928 President FNCV - commenced campaign which resulted in the Wildflower Protection Act. Led Grampians Research Expedition
Membership and Presidential terms in the Victorian Horticultural Society; Cactus and Succulent Society; Victorian Orchid Club; Membership and Vice President of the Royal Horticultural Society of Victoria and the National Rose Society; member of the Bread and Cheese Club
1936-1946 State Relief Committee, Deputy Chairman (1937-1944) and Chariman (1945-1946)
1947 Honorary Life Membership, FNVC

Publications
A Census of the Genus Acacia in Australia, The Orchids of Victoria, Native Flowers of Victoria;; Life Story of Jas. Furphy (Tom Collins), James Bonwick - A Maker of School Books and Histories; numerous departmental articles and instructional bulletins, prolific contributor to Naturalist and various other journals. Pescott's native flower photos were frequently used as illustrations to his own and other writers' books and articles.