WHEN Hazel Ball was 27, she made the decision that a career in accounts was not for her. So she gave up her full-time job to go to college to learn floristry.

Now she and her sister Heather Harris are partners in two businesses flower shop Forever Green and cookshop Rhubarb Rhubarb just up the road from each other in London End, Beaconsfield Old Town.

Last year they scooped the title of Most Promising Newcomer at the Excellence in Housewares Awards organised by the Progressive Housewares magazine and Cookshop and Housewares Association.

"Our passion was flowers. We went to a few evening classes and that started it off. We were both married and didn't want children so Hazel decided to give up her accounts job to do floristry," said Heather.

Hazel worked for a while in a flower shop before going freelance to do arrangements for weddings and parties.

Heather, who worked as a secretary with Equity & Law at Hazlemere, used to help her at weekends as a hobby.

It wasn't long before the sisters realised that the next logical step was to go into business together as florists and look for a shop.

"I decided I didn't want to be a secretary for the rest of my life and left Equity & Law after 15 years," said Heather, who is now 40.

They both looked around the area before settling on Beaconsfield Old Town.

"There was no florist in the town and it was the right kind of shop at the right rental price," said Hazel.

In 1996 they opened for business and, encouraged by their success, embarked on their second retail venture in November 1999 with Rhubarb Rhubarb.

Heather said: "After three years we said we would like to expand in some way but not with another flower shop. Floristry is very labour intensive. We needed something different where you don't have to buy the stock at 3am."

They considered and rejected a gift shop as being too competitive. Then they realised, from talking to customers, there was a need for an outlet offering quality cooking and dining accessories.

"We decided to have another shop close by. After flowers our next love was cooking so when a site in London End became vacant we were in there like a shot. It didn't even go on the market," said Heather.

The partners now employ five staff between the two businesses with Rhubarb Rhubarb completely staff-run. Hazel and Heather pop up to the shop every day and do all the buying.

Their former careers have helped tremendously in their success. Between them they knew about accounts, pay roll and administration.

Heather said: "It has changed both our lives. We like being our own bosses and it is very satisfying, especially working with flowers. It is a good product to work with that brings a lot of pleasure to people."