Speaker: Roy Toft

Hello Fellow Gardeners,

As we welcome the 24th year of the Ramona Garden Club, I am excited to continue our journey together, cultivating beautiful and unique gardens, as well as building strong community roots. Over the past year, we have been purposeful in focusing on building a strong positive culture, allowing us to collectively accomplish what none of us could do individually. As author Jim Collins stated in his book Good to Great, I believe we have the right people on our bus, and they are in the right seats. 

Our theme for the 2026-27 season: “Rooted in Friendship, Growing Together” was selected by the Executive Board from several options, and provides an excellent description of what we value in our culture. Indeed, after attending their first meeting, or field trip, it was frequently mentioned by new members that we appeared to have a lot of fun, and they wanted to be a part of it. 

Once again, and aligned with our annual garden topic survey, we have excellent subject-matter-expert guest speakers scheduled for this season. Monthly field trips continue to be well attended, interesting, engaging, and an excellent way to strengthen existing friendships, as well as develop new ones. I attend most, and always learn something new about the venue as well as those attending. And they are fun!

The “How to Toolbox” is a new committee this year, and I am eager for RGC members to have a formal way to connect with other members to tap into their skills and experiences about wide-ranging gardening topics and projects. 

Throughout the past several years, the Ramona Garden Club has become well known as a “can do organization with a positive culture” in the Ramona community, as well as the Palomar District of the California Garden Clubs.

It is my honor to serve as President for the 2026-27 season, 

Robert Holton