Sepulveda Garden Center 16633 Magnolia Blvd., EncinoSize:...

Sepulveda Garden Center 16633 Magnolia Blvd., Encino

Size: 16 acres.

Facilities: 366 vegetable garden plots for annual rent to the public at $20 each, picnic area.

Hours: 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

Information: (818) 784-5180.

The way park director Janet LaFrance sees it, she has the best job in the city.

“Here we are, surrounded by houses and freeways, and I spend my days in this huge, beautiful vegetable garden,” LaFrance said. “I love to grow vegetables and be around the gardens, so it’s a great job for me.”

Actually, the Sepulveda Garden Center is made up of 366 small gardens, each about 200 square feet. The plots rent for $20 a year to people who live in the San Fernando Valley, LaFrance said.

“We get all kinds of people renting plots here,” she said. “Lots of families trying to teach their children how to grow vegetables, senior citizens looking for a recreational hobby, and couples just trying to be health-conscious by growing their own vegetables.”

The garden plots are specifically for vegetables, but people who rent them are allowed to decorate the edges of their plots with flowers, LaFrance said. To find out about renting a garden plot, call the park during operating hours.