$144M Fort Myers landscape firm announces acquisitions, military contract

Fort Myers-based Juniper Landscaping, ranked among the 15 largest landscaping companies in the country, recently announced expansion on two fronts: It acquired a pair of companies, both in Florida, and it won a major contract with the U.S. Air Force, also in the Sunshine State.

On the acquisitions, Juniper, according to a statement, purchased Panama City-based Rip’s Professional Lawn Care and Elegant Landscape & Design of Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Both companies specialize in landscape maintenance and installation. Financial terms of the acquisitions — which bring Juniper’s footprint to 28 branch locations across Florida and Texas — weren’t disclosed.

Juniper, with $144.5 million in revenue in 2023, also announced it’s finalized a major installation design, build and maintenance contract with Tyndall Air Force base in Panama City. The project took several years to work through concept and construction plans, company officials say. “This project will take approximately three years to complete and will provide a strong foundation for further growth in the Panhandle,” JuniperChief Revenue Officer Dan deMont says in the release.

The Panhandle is one of only a few major markets in the state where Juniper isn’t already well established. Rip’s president, James “Rip” Thompson, will continue to lead the branch with support from Juniper’s corporate team.

“Rip has an excellent reputation for providing premium service in the Panama City and neighboring markets,” Juniper CEO Brandon Duke says in the release. “This is a market that we are prioritizing for heavy investment given our recent selection as the lead landscape installation and maintenance provider for the nearby Tyndall Air Force Base, and so our new partnership with Rip’s could not have been better timed.

Juniper’s partnership with Elegant, meanwhile, further expands its presence in the Palm Beach market. The company was founded in 2015. Elegant’s Co-Owner, Joe Morello, will continue to manage the branch with support from the Juniper team, the release states.

“Partnering with Elegant allows us to build upon and expand our strong current presence in the Palm Beach market,” said Duke. “Eric and Joe have done a remarkable job growing this business and we are excited to welcome their team to the Juniper family.”

Juniper Landscaping is ranked No. 11 on Landscape Management magazine’s Top 150 list of the largest companies in the industry nationwide. Juniper provides a full suite of installation and maintenance services to homeowners’ associations, commercial, government and a variety of other clients. Its locations include Bonita Springs, Bradenton, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Fort Myers, Naples, Ocala, Orlando, Tampa, Venice and Vero Beach. Juniper, along with its financial partner Bregal Partners, is actively seeking acquisition targets in Florida and all Sunbelt states.