Martha was the elder sister of Annie Mutrie (1826-1893), both sisters studying under George Wallis at the Manchester School of Design and specialising in flower subjects. Their work was greatly admired by Ruskin, who wrote of Annie's paintings in his Academy Notes of 1855: 'these flower paintings are remarkable for very lovely, pure, and yet unobtrusive colour - perfectly tender, and yet luscious ... and a richness of petal texture that seems absolutely scented. The arrangement is always graceful ... (but) I wish this very accomplished artist would paint some banks of flowers in wild country, just as they grow, as she appears slightly in danger of falling into too artificial methods of grouping.' The following year it was Martha's turn to be praised. Her work, Ruskin wrote, was 'nearly as good as simple flower-painting can be', and he urged her to attempt 'a roadside bank of violets.'

In this outstanding example Martha might well be taking Ruskin's advice to heart and painting 'a bank of flowers in wild country, just as they grow.'