Bottle Brush

Bottlebrush plant anyway. Callistemon Citrinus. I used to a have a Callistemon growing in the conservatory many years ago. Even though the conservatory was heated in those days it died off one hard winter. There used to be a garden centre not far away which had one of these in a greenhouse. It had been growing for years and the display of bright red bottle brush shaped flowers put on a magnificent show every year. The version I have just planted in the front garden is rated at H3 which should be safe down to -5C:

 

For those who haven't seen a Callistemon:
You can see what the flowers look like here on the RHS site.

The two pots of Chinese Lantern plants are coming on well:

 



It's nice to have some more unusual flowering plants and am really looking forward to the results.

Blackbird Serenade

A bit grim first thing with the temperature at 1C but plenty of Sunshine took it up to 13C and encouraged, as if it needed any, a nearby Blackbird to serenade us:



As for the camera nestbox - the squatter has had the last 'word'. No sign of the Great Tits for ten days and the bumblebee continues to be active. I wonder whether we will get to see some 'baby' bumblebees emerge. Unfortunately its nest is hidden under the nesting material supplied by Mrs GT.

Monday Montage

Last week's WidsMob montage photo was:



Which was correctly identified by Wilma and Adrian as:



a coffee or tea mug.
Ragged Robin and The Weaver of Grass were close with 'jug'.
Yes, trying to estimate the size was difficult.

You will probably have two choices  for this one:



Who will choose the correct one?
If you would like to make a guess please leave it in the comments.
They will be revealed, along with the original photo next Monday.

Growing

In spite of the weather having slipped back from Spring to Autumn plants are still growing.

Outside the greenhouse a couple of troughs of Dwarf French Beans 'Slenderette' are starting to poke through.  I grew some of these last year and they gave a lovely heavy crop:



Also outside, but not photographed is a trough of spring onions.

Inside the greenhouse.
My tomato plants in their auto watering pots.
Alicante and Moneymaker:



Two troughs of 'Vibrant' strawberry plants.
Grew these last year. Lovely jubbly:

 

Some sweet peas of mixed colour:



Finally a couple of hanging baskets.
Bush Fuchsia 'Hermiana' and mixed trailing Lobelia:

Wordless Wednsday

Monday Montage

Last week's WidsMob montage photo caused no problems:



Well done to Ragged Robin, Adrian, Wilma and the Weaver of Grass who all spotted it was:



a Crane Fly (Daddy Longlegs)


I don't think this one should cause too many problems:



If you would like to make a guess please leave it in the comments.
They will be revealed, along with the original photo, next Monday.

Tolumnia Hybrid Orchid

It has been over three months since the buds appeared and finally the first one has opened.

24 focus stacked photos processed in two different programs.
Canon 50D with 70-200mm zoom set at 70mm + Raynox R-250 macro lens + ring LED light.
The flowers are quite small at about 3/4 inch (15mm) across.

Zerene Stacker:



Using the built in Focus Merge in Affinity Photo:



Zerene has more advanced facilities but the Affinity process produced an excellent result.