What Valerian LLC does

Valerian LLC is a privately held, WBE/DBE/SBE certified landscape architecture, planning, and irrigation design firm founded in Colorado in 1990. The firm is headquartered in Lakewood, Colorado with a secondary office in Salida, and serves a predominantly public-sector client base — municipalities, counties, flood control and stormwater special districts, and parks and recreation authorities — alongside a smaller portfolio of private-sector engagements with homebuilders, developers, and industrial clients. Owner and Principal Cassie Kaslon leads a multi-disciplinary team of approximately 15 staff including licensed landscape architects, urban planners, certified floodplain managers, and irrigation designers; Stacey Stickler serves as Associate Principal.

The firm's technical core is sustainable landscape design calibrated to Colorado's semi-arid, high-desert climate, with deep specialization in stream corridor restoration, flood resilience, green infrastructure (including green roofs and stormwater quality features), and water-saving irrigation design. Service lines span landscape architecture, community and urban planning, irrigation design, green infrastructure, and public outreach/charrette facilitation. Project delivery is conducted as either prime consultant or subconsultant; the firm has secured prime roles on award-winning stream restoration efforts (Ralston Creek at Croke Canal, Niver Creek, Sanderson Gulch) and routinely partners with engineering firms (ICON Engineering, Olsson, Muller Engineering, Jacobs) and contractors (Naranjo Civil Constructors) for technical delivery.

Revenue is generated through project-based professional services contracts acquired via direct engagement and competitive RFP processes, primarily with Colorado government clients and to a lesser degree private developers. Valerian is bootstrapped with no disclosed venture or private equity capital, and is owned by founder/principal Cassie Kaslon. The firm has accumulated 20+ industry awards since 2007 from bodies including ASLA (national Honor Awards), CASFM, APWA, ULI, and NAHB — a track record that supports brand positioning in public-sector pursuits. Operations remain Colorado-focused with no disclosed geographic expansion beyond the state.

Name

Valerian LLC

Legal name

Valerian LLC

Website

https://valerianllc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Valerian LLC is a WBE/DBE/SBE certified landscape architecture, planning, and irrigation design firm in Colorado, serving municipalities, flood districts, and parks authorities with stream restoration, green infrastructure, and water-conscious site design across the Denver metro and central Colorado.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Landscape Architecture and Planning Services

NAICS

Landscape Architectural Services (541320)

akta.pro primary industry

Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Xeriscape & Drought-Tolerant Landscape Design/Install (HSAIABAF)

Keywords

• Landscape architecture services
• Urban planning design
• Irrigation system design
• Green infrastructure design
• Stream corridor restoration

Headquarters

HQ city

Lakewood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Professional Design Services: Revenue generated from landscape architecture, planning, and irrigation design consulting services for public and private sector clients. Projects range from parks and open space design to stream restoration and green infrastructure installations. Services include master planning, construction documentation, and construction oversight.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Valerian LLC is a WBE/DBE/SBE certified landscape architecture, planning, and irrigation design firm that delivers professional design services for public and private sector clients in Colorado. Its work spans parks and open space design, stream corridor reclamation and flood resilience, green infrastructure, neighborhood and urban planning, water-saving irrigation design, and community outreach facilitation. Projects are delivered by multi-disciplinary teams of landscape architects, designers, and urban planners through direct engagement and RFP-based contracts.

Product overview

Valerian LLC is a WBE/DBE/SBE certified landscape architecture, planning, and irrigation design firm established in Colorado in 1990. The company offers a unified suite of professional services centered on landscape architecture, planning, green infrastructure design, irrigation design, and community outreach. Their portfolio spans parks and open space projects, stream corridor restoration, green infrastructure, neighborhood design, and trail systems. The firm operates as a single integrated practice rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture, with services delivered through multi-disciplinary teams of landscape architects, designers, and urban planners working collaboratively on each project.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Landscape Architecture Services
• Planning Services
• Irrigation Design Services
• Green Infrastructure Design
• Community Outreach Services

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• OlssoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrime consultant on Ralston Creek at Croke Canal project. Olsson served as lead engineering firm with Valerian providing landscape architecture services. ACEC Merit Award recipient for Water Resources Category in 2025.
• ICON EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrequent collaboration partner on multiple stream restoration and drainageway projects including Sanderson Gulch, Kennys Run, 12th Street Outfall, Niver Creek, Big Dry Creek, and Elk Meadow Stagecoach Trailhead. Multiple award-winning projects together.
• Mile High Flood DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary client and partner on stream restoration, flood resilience, and green infrastructure projects throughout the Denver metro area. Multiple collaborative projects including Ralston Creek, Platte Farm Open Space, and Niver Creek.
• Denver Parks & RecreationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey public sector partner on parks, trails, and open space projects including Sanderson Gulch, Platte Farm Open Space, First Creek Park, and Skyline Park improvements.
• Naranjo Civil ConstructorsmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConstruction partner on multiple projects including Ralston Creek at Croke Canal, First Creek Park, Niver Creek, Big Dry Creek at SSGC, Cherry Creek at Scott Road, and Jackass Gulch.
• Great EcologysupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEcological consulting partner on stream restoration and environmental projects including Sanderson Gulch, Platte Farm Open Space, and Stagecoach South Restoration.
• Western States ReclamationsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRestoration and landscaping partner on projects including St. Charles Place Park, Elk Meadow Stagecoach Trailhead, Cherry Creek at Scott Road, and Jackass Gulch.
• Southeast Metro Stormwater Authority (SEMSWA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on multiple water quality and stormwater projects including Willow Creek Outfall, LID Demonstration Garden, SEMSWA Office projects, Big Dry Creek at SSGC, and Creekside Quest Children's Garden.
• Molson CoorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic-private partnership on Kennys Run Greenway project. Industrial facility needed flood protection, leading to stream daylighting that created riparian greenway and multi-use trail system.
• City of ThorntoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey municipal client on multiple projects including Niver Creek Open Space, Niver Tributary M Improvements, and Eastlake Plaza. Multiple award-winning stream restoration and park projects.
• Muller EngineeringsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEngineering partner on Cherry Creek Valley Ecological Park, Parker Jordan Centennial Open Space, Platte Farm Open Space, and Cherry Creek at Scott Road projects.
• Tony Boone TrailssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrail design partner on Salida Bike Skills Park project. Designed and installed the bike skills park at base of Tenderfoot Mountain in Salida.
• Bienenstock Natural PlaygroundssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Nature Play in the Built Environment Design Guidelines document and First Creek Park natural play design. Partnership on natural playground design methodology.
• Denver Department of Transportation & InfrastructurecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey municipal partner on 48th Avenue Outfall & Greenway, Globeville Levee, and other Denver infrastructure projects.
• Town of Buena VistasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal client on Billy Cordova Memorial Park, a first-responder themed community park in Sunset Vista neighborhood.
• City of ThorntoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal client on Eastlake Plaza and RTD station area improvements, creating community gathering place with historic character emphasis.
• Jacobs EngineeringsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEngineering partner on First Creek Park, a pilot project between Denver Parks and Mile High Flood District featuring natural play elements.
• Wink Inc.supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloper client for Industry RiNo Station and Industry Denver co-working spaces in Denver's RiNo and Cole neighborhoods.
• KAIROI ResidentialsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloper client for Edison at RiNo apartments and Park 17 Apartments, with Valerian providing landscape architecture and green roof design services.
• GenslersupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerArchitecture firm partner on DEN Hotel & Transit Center project at Denver International Airport South Terminal Redevelopment.
• Montessori Academy of ColoradosupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerClient for natural play design at downtown Denver campus, incorporating outdoor classrooms, nature play elements, and music makers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• OLIN: National landscape architecture, urban design, and planning studio known for high-profile public space and park projects. Overlaps with Valerian on park, open space, and urban design work but at larger scale and broader geography.
• Sasaki Associates: International planning, urban design, landscape architecture, and architecture firm. Overlaps with Valerian on parks, open space, and campus planning work but operates at significantly larger scale across multiple geographies.
• SWA Group: Large, established landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm with national reach and significant public sector portfolio. Operates broadly in the same space as Valerian but at much larger scale and with a wider geographic footprint.

Direct peers

• Design Workshop: Denver-headquartered landscape architecture, planning, and urban design firm with a similarly deep Colorado-focused portfolio spanning parks, open space, stream restoration, and master planning. Most directly comparable peer given overlapping geography, services, and public sector client base.
• MIG: Multi-disciplinary planning, design, and communications firm with a landscape architecture and environmental restoration practice. Comparable scope across parks, trails, green infrastructure, and community engagement services.
• LandDesign: National landscape architecture, civil engineering, and urban design firm serving public and private sector clients. Comparable multi-office structure with similar service lines including parks, mixed-use, and green infrastructure.
• Wenk Associates: Denver-based landscape architecture and urban design studio with strong stream restoration and open space work. Comparable mid-sized AEC peer operating in the same Colorado market and serving similar municipal and special district clients.
• Norris Design: Denver-based landscape architecture, planning, and community design firm serving Colorado municipalities and developers. Comparable in scale, geography, and service mix (parks, trails, stream corridors, residential landscape packages).
• LSG Landscape Architecture: Mid-sized landscape architecture firm serving public and private sector clients with parks, trails, and open space work. Comparable scale and service mix to Valerian, including irrigation and green infrastructure design.
• Andropogon Associates: Ecological landscape architecture and design firm specializing in restoration, green infrastructure, and sustainable site design. Comparable niche overlap with Valerian's stream restoration and ecological design practice.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/valerian-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Valerian LLC