Trees and shrubs
Gary Johnson will speak on the topic of urban forestry at the next meeting of the Shoreview Community Garden Club. The University of Minnesota Extension professor will discuss trees and shrubs and how they can be used to design a multiuse landscape for all seasons. 7 p.m. Feb. 7. $3. Shoreview Community Center, 4580 N. Victoria St. For information, call 651-484-4341.
Learn about peonies
The Twin Cities Bungalow Club will host two one-hour talks on this popular garden plant. The first presentation will introduce the history of the peony and how pioneers first brought the plants with them when they settled in Minnesota. After a refreshment break, learn about the rapid advancement in the development of the peony in America, as it has become the center of the peony world. 1:30 p.m. Feb. 11. $3. St. Mary's Episcopal Church, 1895 Laurel Av., St. Paul. bungalowclub.org.
Floral design workshop
Make your home feel like April in Paris with a springtime-themed arrangement. Craft your own Parisian-styled floral creation, using freesia and French tulips for fragrant flair. Add leaves and pussy willow for texture, and leaves for additional color, with the help of Bachman's designers. 2 p.m. Feb. 24. Bachman's, 6010 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls. $59. Register at bachmans.com.
MELISSA WALKER
Home decor trends
The start of a new year always sparks a conversation about trend predictions among home decor experts, but few are as equipped to share their picks as 1stdibs. The global marketplace recently tapped its extensive network of roughly 40,000 interior designers to find out which trends they believe are on the rise — and which to retire now:
Trends on the rise:
Warm, bright colors: 26 percent of designers said more color, warmer tones and brighter shades are on the rise. Jewel tones top the list, with shades of teal, eggplant and emerald green the No. 1 choices.
Velvet and stone: Brushed metals, velvet and stone are on the rise.
