The "Container Gardening" course will be held in room 2132 of Eucalyptus Hall, located on the south side of campus at 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge.

"Container gardening is a great alternative for people who have limited space to garden, such as those that live in an apartment or have a small front porch or balcony," said CSUN biology instructional support technician Brenda Kanno. "This course will inform people how best to go about setting up their own container gardens."

Experienced gardeners Jane Triano and Martha Parker from Home Depot in Woodland Hills will share basic techniques regarding container gardening such as different potting soils, watering choices and fertilizer. Triano and Parker also will demonstrate creative and dramatic ways to create container gardens for maximum aesthetic effect.

This is the second year that CSUN's Botanic Garden has hosted free classes. Dedicated in 1959, the 1.5-acre garden houses a collection of more than 1,200 plant species representing many regions and climates.

Registration is required, as seating is limited. To register, call (818) 677-3496 or email brian.houck@csun.edu. Parking is $4 and available in lot G3, located off of Zelzah Avenue.

For more information, visit the Botanic Garden Web site at www.csun.edu/botanicgarden or call Kanno at (818) 677-3496.

The Botanic Garden is operated by the university's Biology Department and serves as a field site for botany, entomology, photography, painting and other classes. In addition to outdoor landscape and natural botanic environments, the garden also features four greenhouses where rare and unusual plants are grown. The garden is open to the public Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed weekends and holidays.