Bungalow style

Arts & Crafts-era homeowners went crazy with wallpaper, paint, stencil and fabrics on walls to express their personal taste. Architectural historian Bo Sullivan will give an illustrated talk on "If Bungalow Walls Could Talk: Paper, Paint or Stencil?" including historic illustrations and photos and examples of vintage wallpapers, paint samples and stencil catalogs. Sullivan is also owner of Arcalus Period Design, a consulting resource for old-house owners, architects and preservationists. The Twin Cities Bungalow Club program is from 7 to 8:30 p.m. June 23 at the University of St. Thomas, McNeely Hall Great Room, 2060 Summit Av., St. Paul. Cost $3; free for members. Go to bungalowclub.org or call 612-724-5816.

River and art festival

There's still time to peruse original art on the last day of the Stone Arch Bridge Festival along the banks of the Mississippi River. More than 250 artisans will display paintings, photography, ceramics, sculpture, fine crafts and digital media along SE. Main Street in Minneapolis. Other attractions include a car show, family art activities and live music on four stages, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 19. Go to stonearchbridgefestival.com.

HGTV star at Cambria

Planning a kitchen makeover? HGTV host Scott McGillivray of "Income Property" and other shows will launch a free interactive online course, "Dream. Plan. Do. The Inspired Kitchen," 6:30 p.m. June 23 at the Cambria Gallery, 625 2nd Av. S., Minneapolis. McGillivray, along with international designer Jane Lockhart, will give advice on construction and design decisions for your dream kitchen project. It's also a chance to meet and take a photo with McGillivray and learn about the online course. For details, call 952-826-6202.

Upholstery help

Gabberts pros will offer ideas and inspiration for your reupholstered chair or when ordering a new sofa at "Let's Talk Upholstery," 10 to 11 a.m. June 24. Bring photos and fabric samples to Gabberts in the Galleria, 69th St. and France Av. S., Edina, or 3201 Country Dr., Little Canada. Free. For information, call 952-927-1500 or go to gabberts.com.

LYNN UNDERWOOD

Parade of pricey houses

The Artisan Home Tour, sponsored by the Builders Association of the Twin Cities, continues June 17-19 and June 24-26, featuring 21 luxurious new homes, plus eight upper-bracket remodeled homes that are open for touring the final weekend only. Homes are located throughout the Twin Cities metro area. For addresses, visit artisanhometour.org. Tour hours are noon to 6 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. A ticket to tour all homes is $30 when purchased at one of the homes, $25 when purchased online, $20 when purchased at Bachman's locations or with a coupon from Holiday Stationstores; $5 to tour a single home.

Provided This remodeled house in St. Paul by Michels Homes will be open during the final weekend of the Artisan Home Tour.

Garden tours

Need some garden inspiration? The touring season is just beginning. Next weekend brings several opportunities to visit local gardens, including:

• A free tour on June 25, sponsored by Wild Ones, focuses on use of native plants at three sites in south Minneapolis. From 10 to 11 a.m., tour a garden designed to create habitat for monarch butterflies, National Wildlife Federation-certified Back Yard Habitat. From 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., visit a shady yard, subject to soil erosion, that has been transformed into areas of woodland and savanna, with rain gardens and more than 500 native plants among clusters of Montana boulders and rock cairns. From 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., visit the Nokomis East Gateway Garden project, which is planted with natives indigenous to this region. For garden addresses, visit wildonestwincities.org.

• Also on June 25, the Prospect Park neighborhood of Minneapolis hosts its free annual Garden Walk and Plant Sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., rain or shine. This year's walk features gardens inspired by one or more of the elements: water, food and healing. A selection of public and private gardens will showcase rain gardens, vegetable gardens and therapeutic gardens, including fairy gardens and Zen meditation gardens. Location maps and descriptions of the featured gardens will be available at neighborhood businesses, including the Signature Cafe (130 Warwick Av. SE.), Schneider Drugstore, the new Hub City Cafe, the Textile Center and Dunn Brothers Coffee Lab, all on University Avenue SE. The plant sale will be held in the Pratt School parking lot at the corner of Orlin and Malcolm avenues SE. The sale, a fundraiser for the Prospect Park Garden Club's neighborhood programs, will offer a range of perennial and annual flowers, foliage, fruit and vegetable plants and shrubs. For more information, visit pperr.org/events/garden-walk.html.

• Pollinator-friendly plants are the focus of a free tour from 10 to 11 a.m. June 25 at Maplewood Nature Center. Tour the center's butterfly and rain gardens, and learn how to attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard using native plants. Register by June 23 at maplewoodnaturecenter.com. 1902 E. County Road B, Maplewood.

• The Mahtomedi Garden Club Tour, noon to 4 p.m. June 26, features eight of the area's most beautiful and imaginative gardens. Tickets are $10 in advance, available at Claudine's Yarn and Gifts, the Mahtomedi Farmers Market and online at mahtomedigardenclub.org. Tickets on the day of the tour are $15 and available at Triangle Park, 83 Mahtomedi Av. Proceeds support gardening education and community beautification projects.

Midsummer Feast at Ikea

The Swedish furniture retailer hosts its annual Midsummer Smorgasbord on June 24, an all-you can-eat buffet of such traditional Swedish fare as herring, salmon, meatballs with lingonberries, salads and desserts. Seatings at the Bloomington store will be between 4:30 and 8:30 p.m. The cost is $16.99 per person, $4.99 for ages 12 and under. Seating is limited; purchase tickets early at the store.

Perennial power

Get tips for easy and successful perennial gardening at a free Gertens seminar at 6 p.m. on June 22. You'll learn how to incorporate new varieties for season-long color, plus tips on summer care, including deadheading and mulching. Pre-registation is requested at gertens.com/events. Gertens is located at 5500 Blaine Av., Inver Grove Heights.

Herb gardening

Shady Acres Herb Farm in Chaska is closing its greenhouses after 39 years in business. Its last event will be a Garden Salon, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 27. The event will include lectures, workshops, an organic lunch and door prizes. Carver/Scott Master Gardeners will preview a video on fairy gardening. Cost is $65, and preregistration is required at shadyacres.com. For questions, call Theresa Mieseler, 952-446-3391.

Gardening for pollinators

Celebrate Pollinator Week at Gertens during a free Pollinator Event on June 25. Rhonda Fleming Hayes, author of "Pollinator Friendly Gardening," will present a seminar on how to add native plants that attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds, from 10 to 11 a.m., followed by a book signing from 11 a.m. to noon. Amy Miller of the Monarch Project will display her live monarch butterfly caterpillars from 10 a.m. to noon. Preregistration requested at gertens.com/events. Gertens is located at 5500 Blaine Av., Inver Grove Heights.

KIM PALMER