If your home's interior is feeling a bit drab and lifeless, adding a handful of houseplants to the mix can make a world of difference. This is especially true during the winter, when a little bit of greenery inside can help you forget about the weather outside.

In Calgary, August is the big getaway month for many families with kids. In fact, the city looks like a ghost town some days. However, in the backyard there is a riot of ripening activity on the vines and in the ground this month.

Some garden tips for Calgary's spring season

Spring dashes in and out of Calgary like a mouse checking for crumbs at the cabin. Winter is gone and the earth is warming. Suddenly, winter is back again with flurries and frost.

As the snow melts, jobs in the garden include raking the lawn, cleaning leaves off outdoor beds and making compost. These jobs seem simple enough but wait —
not so fast. The surface of the lawn has to be thawed and that takes longer on
the shady side of the yard.

Now that the snow melted for the most part, Calgarians are taking to their yards for raking and gardening, a perfect time for thoughts to turn to composting.

This spring, the City is encouraging residents to drop off yard waste at City landfills,
free of charge, so it can be composted instead of thrown away as waste. Until June 1, all three City landfills will waive fees for residential loads of leaves, branches and
other yard waste.