Martha Stewart is known as an entrepreneur, author, lifestyle mogul, and avid gardener. At 84, despite her busy schedule, she consistently makes time for gardening in her greenhouses, gardens, and home. Although she has cultivated thousands of plants over the years, her ‘dendrobium orchids’ are her current favourite.
She shares that around 30 large dendrobium orchids are currently in full bloom. From a distance, their small pink and white flowers resemble honeysuckle. Every few days, she brings fresh blooms from the greenhouse into her home to add beauty and fragrance, describing their scent as the finest perfume ever made.
The orchids are especially meaningful because of their origin. Stewart received them from Margaret Rudkin, the founder of Pepperidge Farm as she mentioned to PEOPLE. Rudkin, who lived in Fairfield, Connecticut, near Stewart, kept the orchids in her small greenhouses. When she sold her home, she gave the plants to Stewart. Rudkin passed away in 1967, and Stewart believes she received the orchids shortly before that, making the plants more than 50 years old.
To keep them thriving, Stewart maintains optimal growing conditions, including proper plant food. She says she has tried many products over the years and finds the organic plant foods currently produced by Miracle-Gro to be accessible and easy to use for a variety of plants.
Stewart tells POEPLE, “Her dedication to gardening led Scotts Miracle-Gro to name her Chief Gardening Officer in 2025. Sadie Oldham, Vice President and General Manager of the Gardens business at Scotts Miracle-Gro, stated in a press release that appointing Stewart as CGO marked an important step in their mission to make gardening more accessible. She described Stewart as insightful and a trusted resource for the company, its customers, and the gardening community.”
In her role, Stewart visits the company’s headquarters in Ohio to meet with scientists, researchers, and board members to discuss developments in the plant world.
Although she considers her CGO position a significant side job, she views gardening itself as a form of self-care. She explains that caring for herself, her plants, and her animals all connect holistically, noting that her diet, skincare, and overall wellness support her ability to tend to her greenhouses.
