Here is another member of my cow family. A real cow vase. I have a matching hand soap dispenser. I bought the set in a store that sells samples. My suspicion is the vendor figured the market for a matching set of cow vase and soap dispenser was limited and stopped with the samples. I have enjoyed these, although the vase is oddly constructed and difficult to arrange flowers in – mostly it sits on the shelf and exudes bovine loveliness.
The idea for this was based on cows grazing in a meadow. The micro meadow is a tiny representation of what grows in my meadow. The “lawn” in my back yard is truly appalling, so I have many meadow plants. I am not terribly bothered by this as lawn beauty in South Florida is difficult to attain without loads of water and chemicals. Meadow it is. Mown intractable weeds could be another term used to describe the “lawn” My younger greyhound has beaten a perfect racing track into part of it. Flowering meadow plants and sand are for the greyhounds, my gardens are kept away from thundering paws.
Here is a close up of the plants. There is some Florida friendly Chartruese Sedum at each end (friendly is propaganda from our Extension Service – the plant grows great in a pot with potting soil, if put in the garden a very different story), Sweet Begonia and Spanish Needles in white, the purple and red plants are pretty ( a weed I am not sure I want to identify) but I have been trying to eradicate them and they are frighteningly prolific. Boston Fern and the Wandering Jew (Transcandentia zebrina) just pop up in the meadow. Strange but true.
And my favorite cow family member:
My cow dog, Charles the Greyhound, racing name GLO Cornjacker, a dear friend and companion for the past six years; he retired from racing in 2010 and is nearly ten years old.
He hangs out in the meadow frequently and sometimes snacks on it.
The Shrub Queen 
Charming and creative. I used to have a lawn of “Mown intractable weeds” at my former house and prefer it to the upkeep of fescue.
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Thank you, fescue is my worst nightmare! My mother called what is in my backyard Southern Lawn
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At least for persons of the right age, a meadow = childhood: the cow, meadow flowers, sunshne…like a poem. Give me that meadow lawn any day.
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My grandfather had cattle so I remember what you are envisioning. He was always cursing about the Bitterweed, though.
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Your vase is very creative. I am watching and learning!
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Thank you, what on earth are you learning?
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To be more creative with what I have and ignore Martha Stewart.
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Wow, fantastic compliment. I like it – the anti Martha Stewart
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I love it! I have a cow creamer that’s all white and a ceramic pitcher that looks like those waxed milk containers you buy at the grocery store, but it’s decorated with black and white cow markings. Living in a dairy state, we take cow decor seriously.
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I will be looking for a cow theme vase later in the spring! Thanks, my brother in law is from Milwaukee, my mother always sent him to select cheese and was convinced he was a genius.
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Oh I love this cow vase too, Amy – and displaying your micro meadow in it is inspired…It looks gorgeous. Those pinky red flowers look pretty even though you suspect they are invasive. It is really intriguing to read what grows in a ‘meadow’ in your part of the world, so thanks for shaing
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Thanks, the red flowers turn into Dandelion when they seed and fly everywhere, pretty now.
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Hmm, yes, you wouldn’t want them everywhere… 😉
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This is an inspired pairing! I think meadows are much nicer than “lawns” and yours clearly has a lot of interesting bits and pieces. Charles looks very sweet (even if he does take a toll on the meadow).
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Thank you the meadow is interesting and also has a plant called Florida Snow, which actually looks like snow on the meadow. Charles is very sweet and loves grazing in his meadow like a small cow.
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I love your mown intractable meadow and your bovine vase!
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Thank you
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That is one skilfully arranged bouquet, Amy. And it looks perfect in that cow vase-container-thingy. But not as perfect as those pictures of Sir Charles. Beautiful dog.
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Thank you, Sir Charles is a very good guy.
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The cow vase is very cute, and the lengthwise slot lets you spread out the flowers nicely, I like the ferns in the back. I once grew a little red dandelion-type flower called Emelia that looks a lot like your weed. I actually bought the seeds. It didn’t manage to self-sow, I thought it might give the dandelions some competition. I like lawn flowers, you have a cute range of them.
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Thanks, I don’t know exactly what those are, but I thought they were cute at first..then there were hundreds.
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My dog loves gardening too…I just wish he would discriminate between the weeds and the flowers 🙂 Your cow vase is lovely. The perfect accompaniment to a meadow arrangement.
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Thank you, I get all kinds of help with digging, usually not the right place.
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[…] Mar7 by theshrubqueen […]
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I love your meadow on the cow, which is quite a surreal juxtaposition. Like something out of Alice in Wonderland.
Your Charles is a beauty. He looks very aristocratic.
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Thank you, Alice in Wonderland is a very apt description. Charles looks a bit like the English hounds in a hunting painting. He is goofy as the day is long and not terribly aristocratic.
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A meadow is, in my eyes, much better than a lawn… as you have proved by producing a lovely vase from it. 🙂 Weeds can be so pretty!
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I agree, I had this vase by the front door and the seeds are blowing into the house! Mother Nature at work. Thanks.
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