John Sandham took up an apprenticeship at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in 1972 and went on to develop his horticulture career at University of Durham Botanic Garden and the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh. John moved to Australia in 1989 and first started working for the Botanic Gardens of South Australia as the Curator of Conservatory Displays and Plant Propagation. John now holds the role of the Living Collections Development Officer which looks after the three gardens at Mt Lofty, Wittunga and the city gardens in Adelaide. John has been an active member of the Botanic Gardens Australia New Zealand (BGANZ) Association since his appointment as South Australian Representative in 2012, he became its Treasurer in 2013 and served as President from 2015 to 2017. He is currently part of the BGANZ Collection and Records Management (BCARM) working group. John realizes the need for quality education in horticulture and arboriculture and that this plays a pivotal role in securing sustainable quality in these industries. John is a member of SA Power Networks’ Arborist Reference Group and the Australian Arid Land Botanic Garden Advisory Committee. He also is a consultant to the Friends of Old Government House Belair Volunteer Gardening Group.