I see that I also left you a comment during the challenge. Reading back through, I will echo some of what I said there. Your composition is nice outside of the new blooms on the right side of the frame. I like your rule of thirds use, but perhaps placing the subject on the right vertical thirds would have eliminated those distracting blooms. I see that a couple of others also made that comment. Your point of view and depth of field work very well together to add to the quality of this shot, as do the contrasting colors. With the advanced editing challenge, I think I Might have tried to enhance the DOF blur of the background and saturate the reds just a bit more.
the title is not correct because flower shoot does never stand out ... try to find something interesting around your house there is lot of things other then flowers. Sorry but they are just to many (and cats also)
Well seen and great clarity. I also like the DOF use that you accomplished here, but I thin that the new blooms and large leaves on the right are distracting the viewr from your subject. Maybe shifting you position to the left would have bettered this shot.