IT'S GROW TIME AT CSUN.

Byline: - Jaime Sprangrude

Revel in summer's beauty by escaping to the San Fernando Valley's best-kept secret.

California State University, Northridge's two-acre Botanic Garden boasts a lush landscape featuring a large koi pond filled with catfish and water lilies, four greenhouses and five distinct planting areas that house thousands of plants from around the world - including a mix of cactuses, succulents, perennials and exotics.

Operated by the university's Biology Department, the garden supports academic classes and research experiments and is a valued horticultural resource and educational facility that offers the community a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

``Even though a botanic garden is an artificial set-up, it reminds you of nature and the wild,'' says Brian Houck, manager of the CSUN Botanic Garden. ``It takes you away from the city environment. The change of pace is valuable to us.''

And if a change of pace is what you're looking for, then join the more than 400 guests that are expected at CSUN's fourth annual Twilight Garden Party on Aug. 21 for an evening of art, smooth jazz, beer and wine tasting, a raffle and garden tours. Proceeds from the party will be used to help maintain the garden and purchase garden improvements.

Rita Desilets, president of the Southern California Garden Club and a member of Friends of the Garden, the volunteer group hosting the Twilight Garden Party, has been working Thursday mornings at the garden for more than a year now. She and other volunteers help with garden tasks and learn tips for gardening in the Valley.

``I love gardening,'' she says. ``I wanted to learn about the unusual plants and thought this would be a great opportunity.''

Desilets, who says she didn't know the garden existed before her volunteer involvement, is not only active in the garden but also is helping out with this year's Garden Party.

But visitors don't need to wait for the party to enjoy a leisurely stroll in the garden. The garden was created more than 40 years ago by CSUN professors and was seen more as an arboretum than a formal botanic garden, featuring just an acre of grass and trees. But it has evo has been used for events such as weddings and garden club meetings.

Houck says the garden serves two missions: It provides an educational purpose for classrooms and offers the public a genuine botanic garden. Also, the garden offers 30- to 40-minute school tours, making it a great resource for students.

``Gardens are a pleasure item - a retreat in this sort of urban wasteland,'' he says. ``I enjoy gardening for a nonprofit organization at a place where the community can learn about horticulture.''

FOURTH ANNUAL TWILIGHT GARDEN PARTY

Where: CSUN, 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge, in the garden near the center of the campus.

When: 5 to 9 p.m. Aug. 21.

Tickets: $25 per person or $45 per couple in advance. After Aug. 10, $30 per person and $55 per couple.

Information: [phone] or go to www.csun.edu/tildebh20424/tgp.html.

CAPTION(S):

photo, map

Photo:

Water lilies are some of the botanical stars at the CSUN garden, which will host a party Aug. 21.

Phil McCarten/Staff Photographer

Map:

Botanic Garden