Sandy Kennedy, landscape contractor, garden designer and owner of The Outdoor Room: A Nursery and More, passed away on May 8 from bacterial pneumonia. She was 64. A familiar face in the Westside gardening world, Kennedy had been designing and rendering gardens for the past 25 years. She was the manager at Sawyer Nurseries in the early 1970s, followed by stints at Merrihew Nursery from 1975 to 1980; later she was manager at Sassafras Nursery in Topanga. Kennedy was born on September 21, 1939 in Los Angeles and graduated from Reseda High School. Her interest in plants grew from working in her childhood garden working alongside her mother and grandmother, who were enthusiastic amateur gardeners. Her passion became her profession, beginning with studies in biology and plant pathology at UCLA, where she earned B.S. and M.S. degrees. Early on she supported organic vegetable and fruit growing methods. A Los Angeles booster, she not only worked diligently to support restoration projects of the Los Angeles Conservancy, but also was instrumental in ‘regreening’ old Los Angeles. She helped write grants and facilitated the planting of over 100 parkway trees in the Windsor Square area of Hancock Park, and also provided practical assistance on the care and maintenance of the trees. In late 1997, she bought Sawyer Nurseries on Sunset, and transformed it into The Outdoor Room, which allowed her to incorporate her knowledge of plants and design under one roof. The nursery is the exclusive source for plants from the Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden at UCLA. Kennedy thought of the nursery as a horticulturalist’s haven, and added unusual perennials, roses and herbs. She also brought in indoor plants, antique garden furniture, sundials and sculpture. ‘A garden is a large room which extends one’s vision with the floors as grass and the walls as trees and plants,’ Kennedy told the Palisadian-Post. The nursery was honored with the Rotary Club’s Beautification Award in 1998. Her many years in landscape design brought her many awards, and Kennedy Landscape Design Associates was also featured in numerous periodicals, including Sunset magazine, Los Angeles Times and Outdoor Living, as well as in two books by Robert Smaus. In many consecutive years, her designs were included on the Robinson Garden Tour, the Pacific Palisades Garden Tour and the Childrens Hospital Garden Tour. Kennedy’s generosity was also noteworthy, and she was the donor and designer of the landscaping for The Good Shepherd Homes for Homeless and Children in downtown L.A. She also lectured at the Robinson Gardens and the Pacific Palisades Garden Club. ‘She was not only knowledgeable but also genuinely loved what she did’an incredible combination,’ said her life partner Linda Lack. ‘Her legacy will be carried on not only at the Outdoor Room, but also with the landscaping business.’ In addition to her partner, Kennedy is survived by sisters Midge Kennedy and Dian Kennedy, a niece Paige Kennedy and nephews Seamus and Michael Meagher. A memorial will be held for Kennedy on Monday, May 17, 11 a.m. at Mt. Sinai Memorial Park, 5950 Forest Lawn Dr. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made in memory of Sandy Kennedy to Robinson Garden, 1008 Elden Way, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 or to the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center, 1625 N. Schrader Blvd. 4th Fl., L. A. 90028 in memory of Sandy Kennedy.
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