Announcement of Passing: Sandy Planting 1938-2026
Written by Dave Curbow
In August 1961, Sandy married John Planting, beginning a 60-year romance. Sandy’s father had a nursery in Menlo Park, California, and on display was a booklet on bonsai. That booklet inspired John so that when he saw an announcement for Kusamura Bonsai Club’s (Kusamura) first show in Fall 1961, they attended. They then joined Kusamura and began taking classes that winter. That began their life-long love of bonsai. The club’s sensei was Tosh Saburomaru who taught the beginner classes. “Tosh”, as he was affectionately known, believed in involving others in teaching bonsai so in 1977, he asked Sandy to take over these classes. She taught them until 2011. For many years, our monthly meeting featured Sandy teaching basic bonsai skills during the first hour. She and John were active participants during our club’s annual show, often organizing the layout of the trees or doing a demonstration for visitors.
Following the creation of Golden State Bonsai Federation (GSBF), Sandy served as Chair of Exhibits and Vendor Committee for the very first convention held in Berkeley, 1978. In 2014, Sandy was named a member of the GSBF Circle of Sensei, joining people such as John Naka, Ben Oki, Tosh Saburomaru, Ted Matson, David Nguy, and others. Many have been presenters at Kusamura events.
Sandy and John Planting served the club in many different capacities, including hosting monthly workshops and potting parties. They hosted advanced workshops with teachers from Japan, Southern California and elsewhere. Their large back yard held 3,000 bonsai and pre-bonsai that would often be used in a demo by a visiting teacher.
Together Sandy and John served as club president for 14 years, and for 40 years straight, one or both were a club officer or board member. They were powerful influences on the direction of Kusamura and bonsai in the U.S.
Sandy had other interests outside of bonsai. She studied Ikebana, the art of Japanese flower arranging and had a diploma from Koryu Ikebana, one of the oldest schools of Ikebana in Japan. In addition, she was an accomplished painter – many of us have scrolls with art she created. She spent a week studying in Japan with shohin master Zeko Nakamura, also a prominent comic actor and potter. For many years Sandy was active in the sister club, California Shohin Society.
Sandy and John have contributed to the Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt by their gracious support and donation of bonsai from their collection:
#122 Sierra Juniper
#453 Japanese Red Maple
#459 Japanese Black Pine
#470 Contorted Filbert (Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick)
#485 Chinese Indigo
Sandy Planting
