Do it now: The plant doctor

Have a plant with a problem? Bring your questions -- or sample leaves from problem plants -- to the "Ask the Plant Doctor" event at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum this Saturday. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., plant pathologists (in town for the exotic-sounding American Phytopathological Society meeting) will dish about plant diseases. The event is free with gate admission. For more info, go to www.arboretum.umn.edu.

The information piqued our interest: Macy's said it planned to celebrate the 30th anniversary of its furniture gallery by sponsoring a meet-and-greet Saturday with a Benedictine monk.

We bit. Turns out there's plenty of synergy. The Rev. Jerome Tupa, a professor at St. John's University in Collegeville, Minn., paints in watercolors, giclee and oils, and the home store, which has a relationship with the artist, will exhibit his work. Tupa's art reflects his travels; prints start at $12 and range up to $35,000 for original oils. Exhibition, noon to 3 p.m. with opportunities to meet the artist at 1 p.m. Macy's Southdale Home Store, 7245 France Av. S., Edina.

Thomas Pheasant's latest piece for Baker puts some va-voom into television.

His flat-screen TV cabinet -- with leather-wrapped doors in chocolate or ivory, as shown, or with mahogany veneers -- has two adjustable shelves and six drawers for CDs and DVDs. Pheasant designed the square pulls, as well, from cast-brass in a handmade mold that is fired and finished in antique bronze. Sold for $16,786 (leather doors) or $15,386 (veneer) at Macy's home store in Edina and Schreier Home, 124 S. 2nd. St., Stillwater.

Listen in to the weekly podcast, the Dirt on Gardening, for an up-to-the-minute garden update complete with weekend chores at www.startribune.com/dirt.

www.desiretoinspire.blogspot.com

Designs by architect Mark Scherer and interior designer Jodi Gillespie of Meyer Scherer & Rockcastle in Minneapolis were judged an "Open Audition" winner by a panel of senior editorial judges of Architectural Digest magazine.

Their design, for restored, renovated and new structures on a historic, 20-building Texas ranch compound, right, will appear in a future issue, a magazine spokeswoman said. Sneak a (one-picture) peek at www.architectural digest.com; search for "open audition texas."