Growing like the clappers

A cold, drizzly day today with a chilly wind this morning. Mrs M and daughter One are both away doing different things, so I'm at home getting on with work, except for a quick visit to the libe this afternoon.

I didn't find much of interest outside - it was too blowy to get out and wander around -  so had a quick look around when I returned home and decided on this lovely climber. I didn't plant it that early as I hadn't finished the plant boxes, but in spite of that it's grown well and been in flower for a couple of months.

Rhodochiton atrosanguineum, the so-called Purple Bell Vine, is a perennial in its Mexican home, though usually grown as an annual outside in the garden here. The long centre bit is the real flower - the clapper inside the bell - and when that finally drops, the round seed pod will be seen expanding up inside the bell. Easy to grow from seed and quite unusual. I'm not sure if my plant will set seed this year - it's getting rather late and cold!