AN ENGINEER in Oxfordshire is balancing design work for submarines with her new plant business.

Chelsea Day, who was born in Faringdon, moved back to the county last month and is now running Poffley End Plants from her garden in Witney.

Mrs Day is still working from home as an engineer for BAE Systems, where she designs engineering for submarines.

She has done that for the last six years, since finishing her studies at Loughborough University, Leicestershire.

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Now though, she is pursuing her horticultural hobby, spurred on by her new garden.

Mrs Day said: “We moved back to Oxfordshire in May and were fortunate enough that the new house had some polytunnels, which are a little bit like a greenhouse, so we were able to get gardening straight away.

“Pretty much a week after moving, in, we’d started the business.

“We’ve been bringing plants in and making good use of the polytunnels.

“I order the plants in from local plant nurseries or from the continent.

Witney Gazette:

“Things have been really good so far, we’ve had some lovely feedback from customers.

“There’s a lot of people shielding at the moment which means we can deliver to people who can’t get out, which has been really fulfilling for us.”

Mrs Day has been helped with all the deliveries by her family and friends.

She said: “Friends and family who are out of work, and that have been furloughed, have been helping with the deliveries.

“We’re currently going as far as Didcot but mainly we’re delivering in West Oxfordshire, in Witney and Charlbury and all the other places in between.

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“We’re out delivering seven days a week and we’re open to enquiries.”

Horticulture is something Mrs Day has always had a keen interest in, however the move to her new home has provided the perfect opportunity for her to pursue her interest further.

The 28-year-old said: “This is always something I wanted to do and it’s the perfect opportunity with the house so I’ve been able to get set up and go.

“Gardening has always been a hobby of mine and an interest.

“It’s the busy season at the moment, so we’re doing as much as we possibly can.

Witney Gazette:

“In terms of looking after the plants, I spend most of my evening looking after the plants, watering and deadheading them.

“During the highest stock count, I had 30 different varieties of plants.

“The most popular have been the bedding plants, which are brightly coloured and people like them for their colour.

“We’ve also had some beautiful acer trees too.

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“We try to get in plants which we think people might like in their own gardens.

“For as long as we can enjoy doing this, then we’ll continue to do so.”

The online business stocks a variety of both outdoor and house plants, and trees, whilst also selling grow your own goods, such as tomatoes and blackberries.

To find out more, and to place an order, please visit: poffleyendplants.com