Members of the Garden Club of Ellijay honored one of the club’s founding members at a special Arbor Day tree planting and dedication last Wednesday.
An ornamental crabapple tree was planted on the lawn of the Gilmer County Library in remembrance of Annetta Bunch.
Bunch, who was also a member of the local library board, helped found Ellijay’s garden club in 1991. The club was called the Gilmer Garden Gatherers when it began as an offshoot of the Gilmer Arts and Heritage Association, noted club member Joanne Waddey.
“One thing Annetta (worked) on that was important to the club at the time was the Georgia Department of Transportation’s highway wildflower planting,” said club member Bonnie Waldron at the dedication. “There were no wildflowers planted up Highway 515 in Gilmer County, so the garden club decided that would be the major project they took on for 1993-94. It was the largest wildflower planting in all of Georgia that year.”
Bunch, who passed away last year at age 98, was the garden club’s last living founding member, said Waddey.
“After many years of service with the club, Mrs. Bunch became an honorary member for her lifetime,” she added.
Just starting to bud for spring, the Robinson Crabapple is a colorful tree with “bright pink flower blossoms,” said Waldron.
“The leaves will change to purple when they bud out. They change to a bronzy green and then, in the fall, it will have some sort of fall color, probably yellow,” she added.
“The beautiful tree was freshly planted by Keisha Bradley and her expert team from C-Scapes. Clay Collins, owner of C-Scapes, worked with the club to site the tree on the grounds of the library and ensure the best location for the pollinator tree,” said Waddey.
Annetta and her husband, George Bunch Jr., were longtime owners of the Times-Courier, having purchased the local newspaper business in 1967. After George passed away in 2004, he and Annetta’s son, George III, led the newspaper as editor and publisher the next 11 years. Annetta remained involved with its weekly publication for much of that time.
George III, Annetta’s daughter, Lou Anne Nunn, and son-in-law, Jack Nunn, joined garden club members at the dedication.
A reading by club president Scarlet Howard of the poem “Joy This Arbor Day” concluded the event. Arbor Day was observed in Georgia Friday, Feb 21.
“Even though I didn’t know Annetta, a number of our garden club members who are still members today did know her well. I think they all would say one of the things about her was she was very involved in the community and wanted the garden club to be involved in the community. She helped with many projects the club participated in with the Apple Festival and planting the wildflowers all the way up to the monument that was placed at Fort Hetzel,” said Waldron.
“She was a real community leader and we were very fortunate to have her as a founding member of the club.”