How Peconic River Herb Farm became a plant retail destination

Cris Spindler and her family have created something that transcends a garden center.

Located in Calverton on the East End of Long Island, Peconic River Herb Farm is a true destination and an escape to a magical place. Opened in 1986 on the Peconic River, the farm offers visitors 14 acres of specialty plants and garden products artfully arranged.

People come to wander the grounds, enjoy a picnic and leave with more than just a purchase, but a remembrance of time well spent.

Photos © Erik Dietl-Friedli

The entrance sets the stage for what lies ahead. The entrance and parking lot shed any stress of the outside world even before the car is put in park. The store is not visible. There is a restroom and area where carts are kept. That is your only clue that you are in a place meant for the public. One is compelled to breathe fresh air, pause, wonder, anticipate, then embark down the gravel road toward what one can only imagine will be something wonderful.

The native plant section is the first area after the parking lot. Its placement makes several statements about the identity and mission of Peconic River Herb Farm: stewardship, nature, healthy, organic, authentic — the things we crave in our attempt to escape the everyday.

We are beyond feeling decompressed; we are becoming immersed. And still, we haven’t seen anything yet.

Next, we pass the family home. This is a working farm. We have gone from immersion to inclusion. But if we haven’t fully entered the world of this farm yet, we see glimpses ahead now that move us forward.

People spend the day at this farm. Beyond shopping, they come to picnic, commune with nature and enjoy seasonal workshops, live music and events. This is an experience.

The main retail areas are no less magical than the approach. Every vignette, twist, turn and offering reminds us that gardening is not a weekend chore but a lifestyle, and one that says "a life well spent." Peconic River Herb Farm takes destination and experience to the next level.

And if this farm did not fully satiate us, the Spindler family is currently adding a new facility a short distance
away: transforming an abandoned train depot into a cut flower farm. I stole a look at it and can already imagine the response it will receive. I look forward to going back and reporting on it!

Erik Dietl-Friedli has worked in retail gardening for 35 years and is currently the head buyer at Flamingo Road Nursery in Davie, Florida. He began his career at Martin Viette Nurseries and Hicks Nurseries on Long Island focusing on buying, visual merchandising, developing seasonal events and creating dynamic product programs. He's also the co-founder of Garden Center Consultants.