Close to Home: Window repair, growing vegetables, lily show and more

Want to create a tiny world filled with fairies and tiny plants? A free seminar at Gertens will demonstrate how. Participants will see examples of both indoor and outdoor miniature gardens. The seminar will be offered at 1 p.m. July 11 at Gertens, 5500 Blaine Av., Inver Grove Heights.

Now that your summer veggie garden is in full swing, it's time to learn how to make the most of your bounty. Gertens is offering a free Summer Gardening Workshop, where experts will offer tips on diseases, insects and cultural care for your veggie crops. Both organic and traditional care will be included. The workshop will be held at 11 a.m. July 11 at Gertens, 5500 Blaine Av., Inver Grove Heights.

Did you know that there are more than 10,000 hybrid lily cultivars in the world? A few hundred different lilies that have been grown locally will be on colorful display at the free annual show sponsored by the North Star Lily Society. You'll see a wide variety of lilies, as well as floral designs around the theme of "Land of 10,000 Lilies." Visitors are invited to vote on their favorite lily photos in the photo contest.

The lily show will be held 1 to 5 p.m. on July 11, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 12, in the Heritage Room at Bachman's on Lyndale, 6010 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls.

Take your fix-it skills to the next level with Advanced Wood Window Repair, a hands-on workshop sponsored by the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota. Historic window specialist Paul Schmidt of Restoration Window Systems will lead this four-hour class. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own wood window to work on, as well as a pencil or pen for note-taking. Attendees do not need to bring their own tools.

This workshop is a follow-up to the beginner-level class, Repairing Old Windows, but attendance at that class is not a prerequisite, as long as attendees are comfortable with hand tools and beginner-level window repair.

The workshop will be held 1 to 5 p.m. on July 18 at 7839 NE. Elm St., Fridley. Tickets, $50, must be purchased before July 11, at www.eventbrite.com.