I had a problem with the early image you created. In the magazines and on TV, you gave the impression that Martha could do it all by herself...Martha cooked, she baked, she gardened. She made amazing craft projects out of disparate ;materials. She understood interior design, carpentry, pet care, organization and holiday decoration. She knew every kind of textile, tuber, finial, font and feather. It was easy to hate the Martha persona because you didn’t need us. It was do-it-yourself, and the professional was forgotten. Eventually, you acknowledged the many experts who helped create your image, including skilled florists and industry growers. You started to share you stage with us, and I must credit you for raising the respect for our vocation.

Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate your revolution. In fact, I’ve learned to cherish it. I like to think of myself as a progressive florist, and I am grateful that you gave me a well-timed push and led the way. You introduced flowers as fashion. The advantage to fashion is that it constantly changes and creates new demand for the latest thing. New stuff sells. And you were a never-ending source of new stuff. Every issue of "Living" elicits inquiries form my customers about the availability of floral product. Martha’s readers don’t just ask for eucalyptus. Martha’s readers specifically need eucalyptus or polyanthemos eucalyptus or nicholii eucalyptus. Who else but Martha can do that?

I know that the mammoth organization you created won’t disappear as quickly as a plate of your homemade scones. The editors, researchers, art directors, photographers and experts you assembled will continue to produce your product. But without you at the helm, we all know that things will change.

We florists are now in a position to choose our own destiny. We can pick up your fallen flag and continue your journey of creativity, or we can settle for staying in place you’ve brought us. We shouldn’t waste your momentum. We need to establish ourselves as the innovative vanguard in the mind of our customer. We can continue to offer our own inventive reasons to buy our products. We need to be the source for what’s in and out without your boosting. We must learn the lesson you taught us so well: to strive for what’s fresh, what’s different, what’s cool. You showed us what’s possible. Now it’s up to us to keep from falling back into complacency. You were never satisfied. You channeled your energy into creating phenomenal customer demand.

Thank you, Ms. Stewart. If we value our floral industry, we will become our own Marthas.