Featuring Elise Santoro and Nancy Humphries
When you ask Elise Santoro and Nancy Humphries what brought them together, they’ll say “the SCPD Home and Garden Club.” But if you dig a little deeper, you’ll find something even richer beneath the soil: a shared spirit of curiosity, reinvention, and community.
Elise has lived in Sun City Palm Desert for over two decades. Nancy arrived just last year. On paper, they couldn’t be more different—one a self-proclaimed “black thumb” from New York and Connecticut, the other a lifelong gardener originating from Florida. Yet it’s here, in the desert, through the SCPD Home and Garden Club, that their paths finally crossed… after unknowingly sharing the same sky back east.
“I’m from New York,” Elise smiles. “I grew up around skyscrapers, not sunflowers!”
A retired high school math teacher, Elise and her husband, Philip—also a teacher—moved to Sun City 22 years ago to be near their three daughters and grandkids. While she quickly embraced the desert lifestyle, gardening wasn’t exactly second nature.
“Oh, I’ve always had what I call a ‘black thumb.’ I could kill plants through benign neglect,” she laughs.
So how did someone who is a self-declared black thumb end up co-chairing a garden club committee?
“Honestly, it was my friends,” Elise says. “They’d come back from these club trips—Pasadena Showcase, garden tours, guest speakers—and I just thought, ‘That sounds like fun. Why not?’”
In 2023, her own home—beloved for its San Remo model layout and breathtaking view of Donny’s Lake—was selected to be part of the annual SCPD Home and Garden Tour. That experience, she says, opened the door.
“People were so kind and appreciative. The whole thing just felt like a celebration.”
Soon after, Elise was invited to take on a leadership role. “I said, ‘I guess…?’” She recalls, laughing. “Luckily, the committee was phenomenal. Supportive, organized, and just really encouraging.”
Elise still considers herself “more of a spectator than a gardener,” but admits that being part of the club has changed her view.
“I even look at flowers differently now. I’ve found a deeper appreciation for gardens, for architecture—and for the people who bring these spaces to life. It’s such a collegial group.”
One of those people was Nancy Humphries.
“Elise was wonderful,” Nancy says. “She was steady and reliable—and so welcoming.”
Nancy and her husband moved to Sun City in December 2023, chasing one-story living, sunshine, and a fresh start after years of cross-country moves. Originally from Florida, the couple spent time in many cities such as Ann Arbor, Chicago, Austin, Asheville, and even New York—though she and Elise never crossed paths until now.
“We’ve moved a lot,” Nancy explains. “My husband’s an ecologist, and I ran my own consulting business. Wherever we landed, we always made a garden, no matter the climate.”
Despite her experience, Nancy had never joined a club— until the SCPD Home and Garden Tour piqued her curiosity in March 2024 within just months of moving to Sun City.
“It was incredible,” she says. “We toured these beautiful homes and outdoor spaces, and I was blown away by what people had created. That’s when I realized you don’t have to be a master gardener to belong. You just have to love the beauty and creativity that goes into the community.”
Inspired, Nancy jumped in. “Next thing I knew, I was helping with this year’s tour!” she laughs. “There are so many moving parts—but the committee really had my back.”
She credits Elise and the rest of the team for helping her feel at home.
“This group is so warm and inclusive,” she says. “You’ve got snowbirds, year-rounders, pros and rookies. Everyone’s here to share what they know, learn from each other, and enjoy the process.”
For Nancy, joining the club has become more than just a hobby. It’s a way of grounding herself in this new phase of life.
“I’m not usually a big “joiner”, she admits. “But I’ve learned how important it is to stay engaged—whether it’s gardening, sewing, acting, whatever brings you joy. And this club? It’s the perfect place to do that.”
Now she’s ready to settle in for good. “I may be new,” she says, “but I’m here for the long haul. I am not packing any more boxes!” she adds with a laugh.
From opposite coasts and opposite gardening styles, Elise and Nancy found common ground—and friendship—right here in the desert soil. And thanks to the SCPD Home and Garden Club and another successful Tour, they’ve both grown something beautiful: a sense of belonging that continues to blossom.
