Mariani Landscape — No. 20 on the 2022 LM150 list — made major moves in 2022 with the addition of seven family-owned landscape companies.

“We want to do things that people talk about,” Mariani Landscape chairman Frank Mariani told Landscape Management last year. “It starts with understanding that when some big bad company comes in to take things over that, we aren’t going to do that. We bought and partnered with these companies because we believe they are every bit as good as Mariani.”

The company is back at it again, this time with the addition of the Ed Castro Landscape (ECL) company, a full-service high-end landscaping firm in Roswell, Ga.

Ed Castro founded the business in 1992. The company offers landscape construction, maintenance, and related services year-round.

“This opportunity to align with the best of the best in our Industry is truly an honor and a privilege. I could not be more excited for ECL associates and clients. This partnership gives us access to the best minds and resources in the Green Industry,” Castro said.

Castro was recently elected a Foundation advisory trustee at the University of Georgia, where he graduated with a degree in landscape architecture in 1988. According to the company, the university selected him for his commitment to distinguished service and superior contributions to the landscaping industry.

“Ed Castro and I share the same values. Both of our companies originated as family-owned businesses focused on delivering premier quality work to our discriminating customers,” Mariani said. “We also share a deep commitment to giving back to the community, leading the industry in sustainability, and allowing our employees to build successful careers while maintaining a good work-life balance. Our shared vision is what makes this acquisition seamless.”