View from my office window

I inevitably spend a fair amount of time sitting at my home office computer over the course of a week.  There are two large windows to my right, which means I often find myself staring at the view of a particular section of my garden.  The activity at the three bird feeders frequently draws my attention, and if their chirping doesn't do that, the cat's chattering at the birds from her seat at the window does.  As I write this, the birds are staring at me, seemingly wondering if I'm going to refill their feeders before they're entirely empty.  However, what's repeatedly had me staring out the window this week hasn't been the birds so much as the mix of colors around the feeder.

This is the view in question.  What grabbed my attention on this occasion was the gladiola at the center of this shot.  Its bold color drew my eye but what really stood out was that it's blooming in early February!

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day falls on Sunday which, if forecasters are to be believed, could be the start of several rainy days for us.  I've already been gathering photos for an early Bloom Day post targeted for Friday but, instead of burying the floral display outside my window within that post, I thought I'd share the details with you in this much shorter one.

This was one of a mix of Gladiolus nanus bulbs I planted in March 2025 for early summer blooms.  I hadn't expected a yellow and coral flower in the mix.  Last year it bloomed in late June.  I believe this is a variety called 'Las Vegas'.  Yesterday, I ordered 10 more bulbs of this specific variety as it's perfect for this bed, especially if it makes a habit of flowering in tandem with the plants around it.

The Arbutus 'Marina', pruned hard in late November, is back in bloom with its coral-pink flowers, beloved by hummingbirds

The hummers also appreciate the flowers of Lantana camara 'Irene'

I haven't yet cut back all the colorful bracts of Leucadendron 'Blush'

and I apparently missed trimming back a few of the stems of Leucadendron 'Jester'

Leucospermum 'Royal Hawaiian Brandi' is just starting her bloom cycle

Lobelia laxiflora, cut back in December, is also mounting its return

There's a good chance of light rain during the wee hours tonight before the larger rain system in the offing for the coming week moves in.  The cloudy gray skies I see out the window lend some real credibility to that claim.  I don't expect it to be much but, as our last rain fell in early January, whatever we get will be welcome.  I'll end this post with a wider shot of the garden beds in view outside my office window before I take my camera out to capture photos of other parts of my garden in preparation for Bloom Day - and fill up the bird feeders of course.

All material © 2012-2026 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party