Designer kitchen tour, garden workshops, furniture take-back event, Junk Bonanza and more

Get an inside look at Lakewood Cemetery's elaborate gardening operations during a greenhouse tour on Earth Day. Lakewood, founded in 1871, operates two greenhouses, where 95,000 flowers are grown for planting. The greenhouse sells fresh flowers, potted plants and seasonal arrangements for placement on graves in the cemetery.

During the guided tour, learn about the history and how Lakewood maintains the landscaped 250-acre grounds. After the tour, attendees can plant a potted arrangement to bring home.

The free 30-minute tours are offered 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 22, 3600 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls. Register at lakewoodcemetery.com.

Do you want new landscaping — but don't know how to get your project off the ground? Bachman's experts can help at a spring garden and landscape seminar, exploring trends and project planning, from 6 to 8 p.m. April 19, 6010 Lyndale Av., S., Mpls. Learn about site analysis and evaluations, conceptual planning and plant selection. Cost is $10. Register at bachmans.com.

Plant an early spring outdoor pot with hardy blooms at a container design workshop from 2 to 4 p.m. April 22 at Bachman's, 6010 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls. Cost is $50 and covers materials. Register at ­bachmans.com.

If you have gently used furniture you'd like to clear out of your home, bring it to Ikea on April 22. The retailer is hosting a furniture take-back program, in partnership with Goodwill, as part of its Ikea Sustainable Living Your Way event. From 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Goodwill will set up in the parking lot to help unload donated items and provide tax receipts. Consumers who turn in used furniture will receive a coupon for $20 off a $150 Ikea purchase.

Donated furniture does not have to be from Ikea, but Goodwill does not accept some items, including mattresses, bedding, children's furniture, toys or lighting.

Eager to get started on your lawn and garden? Learn what you need to know at Gertens Spring Days Home Opener, a three-day series of informational workshops and how-to demos, April 21 to 23. Here's the lineup: 10 a.m. — yard and garden tuneup; 11 a.m. — growing delicious edibles; noon — planting awesome containers; 1 p.m. — outdoor living spaces; 2 p.m. — the best turf. On April 22 only, there will also be grill demos from Weber, Big Green Egg and Traeger, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Register at gertens.com/events. Gertens is located at 5500 Blaine Av., Inver Grove Heights.

Thinking of redoing your kitchen? Nine dream kitchens in a variety of styles and price points will be open for touring during the ASID Designer Kitchen Tour next weekend. It's a chance to see trends and innovations and chat with designers and contractors about creative use of space and cost strategies. Kitchens will be open for touring 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 22, and noon to 5 p.m. April 23, and are located throughout the Twin Cities. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door, for access to all nine kitchens, or $10 at the door for single homes. For more information, visit mhmag.com/asid.

Learn all about native plants at a free roundtable Q&A hosted by the Twin Cities chapter of Wild Ones. From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on April 20, landscape professionals and longtime gardeners will answer questions about native trees and shrubs, pollinator gardening, removing invasives, converting lawn to native plants and other topics. The roundtable will be held at Diamond Lake Lutheran Church, 5760 Portland Av. S., Mpls.

Celebrate Earth Day at Room & Board, with an informative in-store event, Swing Into Spring With Tonkadale Greenhouse. From 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 22, stop by for tips on spring planting from the experts, and also learn about the eco-friendly outdoor furniture from Loll Designs, with sweet treats from Bogart's Donuts. Room & Board is located at 7010 France Av. S., Edina.

If you love vintage, head to Shakopee next weekend, when Junk Bonanza returns to Canterbury Park. More than 150 vendors will be on hand to show their vintage wares, and you can also check special events including free hands-on painting workshops taught by Annie Sloan, founder of Chalk Paint. Other special events include decor sessions on how to use vintage elements to prep your home and garden for spring entertaining, by KSTP-TV style expert Larry Pfarr. Flea Market Style editors Ki Nassauer and Celeste Shaw also will be on hand to sign magazines and share insights on vintage living.

KIM PALMER