Abbi Dixon takes over plant shop Botanic, in Walmgate, York

Botanic, in Walmgate, has been bought by Abbi Dixon.

Abbi purchased the store in July, trading in a 15-year corporate career for the world of house plants.

The shop, at 27 Walmgate, marks Abbi's return from working in Hong Kong to the York area after growing up in Allerthorpe, near Pocklington.

Abbi spent a lot of her youth in the US, Singapore and Thailand, although her fathers family originate from Yorkshire. Her family ran an interior shop where she made her first steps into the retail world.

Coming from a family of keen gardeners and exposing herself to different climates, she developed an interest in researching plants and horticulture.

Following the birth of her daughter and death of a family member, Abbi decided to move on from her career in London in banking and recruitment.

She said: "I worked in the corporate world for 15 years.

"I was really into plants and horticulture and then this opportunity came up."

Botanic has a short but popular history in York, opening at its home in Walmgate in January 2018.

Abbi said the shop has always been a hub for house plants and sharing expertise on how to care for them.

She said Botanic will offer repotting services, general advice over the phone and the possibility of future classes for budding house plant enthusiasts.

There is also a plant styling service coming, as well as a future online shop hoping to deliver their plants nationwide.

The shop has proved particularly popular with students.

Abbi said: "In the first two weeks of term we were so busy, I was impressed by how knowledgeable so many of them were on the topic."

Recognising the popularity of house plants among York's students, Abbi has offered a 10 per cent student discount in store.

READ MORE:

• Ecologist branches out to launch specialist plant shop
• Business is booming - with York start-ups helping to buck trend, says Plusnet

She said the upkeep of so many plants required constant attention, adding that the building makes a good environment for them to thrive in.

She said: "We get lots of light in through the windows and we swap them around quite often.

"Most of our plants don't stay in the store for too long, which definitely helps."

Abbi and the team have taken on the store with big ambitions for the city.

She said: "We always joke that we want every building to have at least one plant inside, every house, business, pub and restaurant in York."

Explaining the benefits of owning indoor plants, she added: "They're beneficial to both your mental and physical health, but also visually plants just make you smile."

The store's opening hours are 10.30am-5.30pm Monday to Saturday and 11am-4pm on Sundays. It is closed all day on Tuesdays.