Gardening guru, author and HGTV Canada's Home to Win host Carson Arthur has fond memories of his first home, a two-storey, 1960s fixer-upper with a lovely front porch in Toronto's eclectic community of Leslieville.

Gardening expert and HGTV Canada's Home to Win host Carson Arthur has had a busy few months. He's launched a new book; is in the process of opening a destination-style gardening centre in Prince Edward County, Ont., with a focus on food diversity and fun; and through it all, he has been working long hours filming the latest season of Home to Win.

Calgary Home + Garden Show garden features prepping visitors for spring

They say you can't judge a book by its cover. Yet when it comes to purchasing a home, first impressions can be everything.

"What's really exciting for me right now, especially when it comes to home value, is that landscaping has replaced the top five best return-on-investments according to Remodeling Magazine 2015," said Carson Arthur, co-star of HGTV's Critical Listing and founder of Carson Arthur Design, who will be among a dozen celebrity presenters and more than 650 vendors at the 34th annual Calgary Home + Garden Show, running from Feb. 26 to March 1.

Arthur, who grew up on a farm two hours outside Toronto, said there are a couple simple tips for home sellers when it comes to grabbing the eye of potential buyers.