Sad news: A plantsman lost to us - Jim Archibald has died

[ichristie]

A great loss to us all but Jim will live on around the world all his seed he collected was his life a tribute to a very special person. our thoughts to his family,  cheers Ian the Christie kind.

[Liz Mills]

So sad to hear the news of Jim's death but know that his memory will live long through the plants so many of us have grown from Archibald seed.  I too have kept all the seed lists.  My thoughts are with Jenny and the family.  Liz

[vivienne Condon]

I have never posted on the forum before but hearing of the loss of Jim Archibald is just too sad for words and prompted me to add my condolences to Jenny and the children. What a great loss to the plant world in general. The end of an era. Viv Condon

[Lesley Cox]

Hello Viv, a very sad way to begin life on the Forum so I hope this won't be your last post! Sorry about the Last Post. Just heard it played for our first soldier killed in Afghanistan, his funeral here, today.
I'm looking forward to a few days with Otto next month and hope I can see you too, and other Victorian friends.

Best wishes

Lesley

[Janis Ruksans]

I was in frequent contacts with Jim this summer. Jim hardly hoped to live up to winter, so many to do he had. Good only that this happened quickly, without pain. In any case it is very great loss of very great man. I'm really happy that I had possibility to take part in our common trip this spring, the last for Jim. We talked about his visit to my place next spring... He allways will stay in my memory with his optimism, knowledge, involvment in gardening. Last night I awakened and couldn't more sleep - I thought about Jim, recolled in memory our meetings, his speaking way, house and garden and of course - plants. And I'm happy that I named in his honor new Crocus which will be published this winter in my coming monograph. As knowing that it will come out too late - I sent to Jim in June printout of pages with description of this crocus.
I decided to give cultivars name to one of Crocuses collected during our common trip  - Crocus hittiticus 'Jim'.
Sleep in peace!
Janis

[Maggi Young]

The Funeral  of Jim Archibald will take place on Monday 16th August at 1.30 p.m at Aberystwyth Crematorium  
Clarach Road
Aberystwyth
Ceredigion
SY23 3DG


Family flowers only, please.

Donations, if so desired, to the Beacon of Hope or Wales Air Ambulance.
Details from funeral director Alun M. Esau on 01239 654240.(or see notes in next post)

[Maggi Young]

Aberystwyth Crematorium -address and directions

Clarach Road
Aberystwyth
Ceredigion
SY23 3DG

Tel: 01970 626942
Fax: 01970 611765

 DIRECTIONS

By Car

From the South A487 Aberystwyth.
As you leave Aberystwyth head north towards Machynlleth (A487). Having passed Hospital and University on the right. Continue up the hill and when you reach the top take first turning left onto the B4572 (signposted Clarach) for approximately half a mile. Crematorium is situated on right hand side.

From the North A487
as you approach Aberystywth turn right onto the B4572 for approximately half a mile. Crematorium is situated on left hand side.

Travelling from Mid Wales
approaching Aberystwyth on the A44. As you enter Llanbadarn Fawr, you will pass a petrol station on the left. 1st mini roundabout take 2nd exit, continue up hill passing College of Further Education on right, continue to top of hill turn left, continue to end turn right and immediate left onto B4572. Crematorium is situated on right hand side.

By Rail
Main train station Aberystwyth with links from the midlands, approx 2 miles from crematorium. Taxi rank opposite exit of station.

Notes which may be of assistance: 

‘The Beacon of Hope’ is a hospice association-
http://www.thebeaconofhope.org.uk/
 
If you would like to send  a one-off donation please send a cheque made out to ‘The Beacon of Hope’ to Dinah Jamieson, The Beacon of Hope, 10 Baker St, Aberystwyth SY23 2BJ.

http://www.thebeaconofhope.org.uk/volunteers/sponsor_form.pdf


To support the Wales Air Ambulance Service:
http://www.walesairambulance.com/index.php?page=donate

[BULBISSIME]

Sad sad news
I only knew him throught JJA seeds and he will still live in my garden.
My condoleances to his family
Fred

[Hans A.]

Very sad news.
As so many forumist a good number of plants came from Jim and Jenny, my garden would be much emptier without them.
Will always remember his very good and entertaining talk about Oncos in Wisley despite of a stubborn slide projector.
My condolences to his family.

[Gerry Webster]

Yesterday got very sads news about death of very famous gardener and my great friend Jim Archibald. To establish his memory I decided to name this crocus, collected during common trip as Crocus hittiticus 'Jim'.
Janis

That is very sad news indeed. Jim was a great plantsman & a wonderful person.

[Mark Griffiths]

I'm very sad to hear this news.

I think I met Jim and Jenny only a few times in the 70s at AGS shows where they would sometimes have plant stalls selling unusual fare. Both were friendly and helpful to a precocious teenager- I then re-aquainted myself with them in the 90s via their seed lists (which in typical fashion were a little different). I was talking to my fiance yesterday and realized how much of my present collection came from J&J,  the alstroemerias, sarcocapnos, some cyclamen, narcissus and frits all came from them.

We would also exchange letters from time to time and J&J were still helpful and entertaining, connecting me with other people etc and happy to hear that their collections were faring well.

It's a sad loss for his family and for the plant world.

Mark

[Gerry Webster]

It is good to know that Jim will be remembered by means of a crocus. An even more appropriate memorial might be what is, perhaps, his most famous bulbous introduction, namely, Narcissus romieuxii  JCA 805.  In this light it would be good  if an effort could be made to ensure that  his selection from this collection, ‘Julia Jane', is widely distributed in its genuine clonal form to replace the innumerable seedlings which masquerade under the name. Since Bob & Rannveig Wallis were close to Jim, both personally & geographically, I presume that the plant which Rannveig offers now & again is the real thing.

[Lesley Cox]

I agree absolutely Gerry, so many seedlings now being around under what is not their own, genuine identity. I have a few hundred JJ seedlings beginning to flower this year and while they are very good, and some virtually the same as JJ, I shall eventually offer them locally as 'Gala Seedlings' (my nursery is Gala Plants) with the note that they are from JCA 805, and not mention 'Julia Jane' as such at all. There is one illustrated a few days ago in the "August in the Southern Hemisphere" thread.

[Renate Brinkers]

Very sad news.
I didn´t known him personally but, like lots of others, I also had and have plants from his seed.
My thoughts are with his family.

[Jean-Patrick AGIER]

So sad to hear of the death of Jim ARCHIBALD! I only knew him from JJA seedlists. A very generous man who personnally answered some of my queries . This I won't forget. All my sympathies to his wife Jenny and to his family.