Whitewater Capital Backs Valley Gardens to Accelerate Its Landscaping Platform Across Appalachia

Valley Gardens - a full-service landscaping business serving commercial and premium residential clients in southern West Virginia - has struck a major growth deal. Whitewater Capital Partners has taken a controlling stake in the company, providing the capital and strategic support needed to expand Valley Gardens’ regional reach and accelerate its long-term plan.

Deal Summary

• Buyer: Whitewater Capital Partners, a West Virginia–based private equity firm focused on legacy companies in Appalachia.
• Target: Valley Gardens, established in 1978, offering comprehensive landscaping services, including maintenance, design, irrigation, enhancements, snow management, and more.
• Geography: Valley Gardens operates in Charleston and White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., and serves commercial property owners and high-end residential customers in the region.
• Rationale: The investment gives Valley Gardens the financial runway to expand its footprint, invest in new service lines, and potentially pursue acquisitions — all while preserving its 40+ year reputation for quality.
• Legacy Commitment: Whitewater highlights a desire not just to scale but to retain Valley Gardens’ community roots, workforce, and service ethos.
• Advisors: Legal counsel was provided by Bowles Rice LLP for Valley Gardens and Akerman LLP for Whitewater.

Industry Context

This deal comes amid an increasingly active deal market in commercial landscaping. Consolidation remains a key strategy as private equity platforms hunt for service firms that deliver recurring, capital-light revenue streams - particularly those with strong local branding and operational expertise.

Landscaping businesses like Valley Gardens are attractive because they combine a diversified service offering (maintenance, design, installation) with durable client relationships and relatively modest capital requirements. For PE firms, the opportunity lies in funding growth, boosting capacity, and bringing operational discipline, while respecting the cultural identity of legacy operators.

Lower-Middle-Market Roll-Up Perspective

From a roll-up strategy standpoint, this transaction highlights several meaningful patterns:

1. Strategic Capital Partnership: Whitewater’s investment underscores the value of pairing a community-based landscaping firm with a PE sponsor that understands regional dynamics.
2. Growth Acceleration: With fresh capital, Valley Gardens can scale more aggressively - opening new locations, upgrading technology, and even acquiring other local landscape contractors.
3. Service Expansion: The firm’s full-service model (from landscape architecture to snow management) offers flexibility to cross-sell and deepen client engagements.
4. Cultural Preservation + Integration: Maintaining Valley Gardens’ leadership and local roots helps minimize disruption and retain customer trust.
5. Local Platform Build: By backing a leading regional player, Whitewater can create a platform with Ohio Valley / Appalachia reach, rather than chasing national scale from scratch.

Why This Sector Is Attractive for Roll-Ups

• Fragmented Market: Many landscaping companies operate locally, leaving room for consolidation.
• Recurring Demand: Maintenance and seasonal services generate predictable cash flow.
• Scalable Services: Providers can layer in design, installation, and irrigation services to grow organically.
• Limited Capital Needs: Unlike asset-heavy industries, landscaping can scale with modest incremental investment.
• Value from Community Legacy: Platforms that partner with established local firms can blend professional capital with local customer loyalty.

Conclusion

Whitewater Capital’s partnership with Valley Gardens is a textbook example of how PE can accelerate the growth of a legacy service business while maintaining its identity. For Valley Gardens, it’s a path to more scale, resources, and market reach. For Whitewater, it’s a chance to build a meaningful regional landscaping platform rooted in quality and continuity.

This deal underscores an increasingly common playbook: PE firms targeting well-run, regional service businesses with strong local reputations and recurring revenue - then helping them scale by capitalizing on both organic and acquisition-led growth.