For this Wading River man, a childhood dream of opening a plant nursery became reality

As a child in Riverhead, Nick Sollazzo remembered thinking that the greenhouse and plants in his grandfather’s backyard were the coolest things he had ever seen.

“I thought to myself: You know what? One day, I am going to have a nursery, I’m going to grow plants, and then I’m going to sell those plants,” Sollazzo recalled. 

More than 30 years later, Sollazzo’s dream has become a reality. He’s turned a small patch of land off of Main Road in Aquebogue into his own plant paradise: the North Shore Plant Company. 

“I’ve always found it to be something that’s like, a little zen and peace, and kind of clears your mind,” Sollazzo, now 40, said of raising plants. “It’s work. But it’s also rewarding because you see it grow and you watch it become something else.”

North Shore Plant Company, which opened in 2021, is a labor of love for Sollazzo. The nursery carries more than 400 different types of plants, Sollazzo said, about three-quarters of which are perennial. Sollazzo said he hopes to bump the variety of plants up to 500 different kinds.

“Some of them are ones that people have seen before. Some of them are ones that people have definitely not seen before and are unusual,“ said Sollazzo, a Riverhead High School graduate who now lives in Wading River.

Sollazzo said he’s always had a fascination with learning and collecting weird plants. “I’ve messed around and grown so many plants over time that I’ve kind of curated a collection of plants that I find are interesting and work well here on the North Fork,” he said.

One of Sollazzo’s first exotic plants — and his favorite — is the Bloodgood Japanese maple tree, dozens of which are strung about his nursery. 

“I’ve since collected probably 40 different varieties and have planted them all around my yard, and basically have like a tapestry of colors,” Sollazzo said. “I like to plant with things that are colorful and give you color, and then you get flowers as an added bonus.” 

“So it’s almost like painting with plants,” he said. “It’s an art.” 

He said his own experience growing different plants has allowed him to speak knowledgeably and coach someone less experienced. ”I like to share my knowledge of how to grow something, how to make it improve itself, or how to even propagate something,” he said. “If someone’s interested on how to make that or how to have more of something, you know, all the knowledge that I’ve accumulated, I’m willing to share that with anyone who’s willing to listen.”

In addition to the plants he’s cultivating, he is also growing a u-pick flower garden. “Later in the season, we’re going to have 56 rows of u-pick flowers. People are going to be able to come and cut on themselves and make their own bouquet from all the weird things that I’ve chosen to plant,” he said.

The North Shore Plant Company is located at 1018 Main Road in Aquebogue. More information can be found on northshoreplantcompany.com.