It seemed natural for Cecilia Heffernan to become a floral designer. Yet, that isn’t what she set out to do.

She’s a successful businesswoman, author, well-known floral designer, and television celebrity. On Lifetime Television, she has conducted special clinics at Lowes stores in various cities throughout the country.

Heffernan is author of a very successful book, “Flowers A to Z-A Practical Guide to Buying, Growing, Cutting, Arranging,” published by Harry N. Abrams, Inc. In 2002, they released a compact paperback version. This reference is small enough to carry with you when you go shopping for flowers.

In addition to the paperback, there are also matching journals and notecards, Flowers A to Z Notecards, and Flowers A to Z Journals. These make delightful gifts for those special people in your life.

Heffernan did the book because clients had so many questions about flowers. In responding to these queries, she found herself making notes. From that beginning came this remarkable book in which she shares some of her trade secrets.

This beautifully designed book is practical and a delight to use. Illustrated with full-page, color photos, it is a handy reference you shouldn’t be without.

From a very young age, she helped out in her mother’s garden, and worked with her creating floral arrangements. As a result, flowers, such as roses, hydrangeas, and camellias, were a part of her daily life. She grew up in Augusta, Georgia, referred to by some as “the garden city.”

She didn’t set out to have a career in the floral industry. It just happened that way when she was only 24 years old. She had moved to Jackson Hole, Wyoming after she graduated from college. She had gone to purchase flowers in a florist shop for someone, and became dissatisfied with what was available. On the spur of the moment, she bought some flowering plants, and cut off what she needed to make an arrangement.

Several months later, Heffernan decided to open her own shop in Jackson. The goal was to offer people an alternative to standard cut flowers. She specialized in the natural and the unusual.

Now she operates several flower-related businesses. Flowers by Cecelia specializes in weddings and special events, and has clients all over the U.S. In addition, Outside Garden Works is her garden design and landscape business. Besides these two, Flower Hardware is a flower, garden and home décor shop.