The College of Science and Mathematics' second annual Twilight Garden Party is a fundraiser, with proceeds going towards the maintenance of the garden and purchasing much-needed equipment.

"The garden party offers a change of pace in our busy lifestyles," said Brian Houck, CSUN's Botanic Garden and Greenhouse manager. "We hope our guests can relax and enjoy their natural surroundings, think lofty thoughts, see some art and stroll about."

The garden party will feature jazz performances, wine, beer and coffee tasting, light refreshments and displays of art produced by Northridge students and alumni. It will take place from 5 p.m. to about 8 p.m. in CSUN's Botanic Garden near the center of the campus at 18111 Nordhoff St. in Northridge.

The 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 landscaped and natural botanic environments, the garden also features a greenhouse where rare and unusual plants are grown. The garden is open to the community.

"The garden offers residents ideas they can take back to their yards," he said. "Northridge is a difficult place to garden. What we do here is try to find the boundaries of what we can grow. Plus we have unusual plants that you won't see in a nursery."

Since the garden is used as a classroom for students, Houck explained, it features plants that would normally grow in other parts of the world, such as New Zealand, Baja California and Asia, as well as Southern California.

Advance tickets for the Twilight Garden Party are $20 per person or $35 per couple. Tickets purchased after Aug. 10 are $25 per person or $45 per couple.

To purchase tickets or for more information about CSUN's Botanic Garden, call (818) 677-3496.

California State University, Northridge has more than 30,000 full- and part-time students and offers 59 bachelor's and 41 master's degrees. Founded in 1958, it is the only four-year university in the San Fernando Valley and the third largest in the 23-campus CSU system. The Western Association of Schools and Colleges recently said CSUN "stands as a model to other public urban institutions of higher education."