Liberty Landscape Supply Acquires Trad’s Garden Center in Jacksonville

Liberty Landscape Supply has acquired Trad’s Garden Center in Jacksonville, Florida.

Trad’s Garden Center has been owned by the Trad family since its founders, Betty and Lou Trad, opened the business in 1971. The family later launched Trad’s Pest Control, which provides lawn, household pest control and termite services. Trad’s Pest Control will continue to be managed by Denise Trad Wartan, Betty and Lou Trad’s daughter.

After decades of selling plants and trees throughout Jacksonville through their garden center and landscape division, the Trad family sought a new owner for the garden center business who would maintain operations at its current site. Through the acquisition, Liberty Landscape Supply will be able to offer new services to existing garden center customers, such as landscape design and installation, delivery, an expanded plant inventory and bulk materials.

“We are excited and honored to have the opportunity to capitalize on the goodwill the Trads have created in their community. Rarely do you have an opportunity to build your business on the backbone of an established location like Trad’s Garden Center,” said Mike Zaffaroni, owner of Liberty Landscape Supply.

Liberty Landscape Supply, formerly Fernandina Mulch & Stone, has 12 years of operating experience in Northeast Florida. The company’s first location opened in Nassau County in 2007; a second location opened in Jacksonville in 2017. The company offers a full selection of plants, trees, mulches, soils, gravel and other landscape products, as well as delivery service and design and installation . The acquisition of Trad’s Garden Center and expansion to a third location will further enhance Liberty’s ability to serve the Jacksonville market by providing a convenient and established destination for their customers.

“Our family has been proud to serve the Jacksonville community for nearly 50 years,” said Denise Wartan. “We are grateful for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transition ownership of the garden center to someone who shares our commitment to providing the community with excellent service and quality products. We look forward to continuing to serve our customers through Trad’s Pest Control, and introducing Mike and his team to their new neighbors.”


The Principium Group endeavors to track all merger & acquisition activity within the lawn and landscape services industries.

2019 M&A Activity in the Landscape Services Industry details all reported transactions in 2019.