In 1930, a small cottage was built on Bluewater Beach by my great-grandfather. Every year since then, generations of my family have grown up spending their summers on this property. The flowers in the surrounding gardens were planted by my great-grandmother.Even though she has now passed away, each year they continue to grow back, acting as a reminder of what was. During the time surrounding the death of my great-grandparents, Alice and Bob, my grandpa kept a detailed journal of the weather. Every day he recorded the temperature, the quality of light and sky, creating an objective account of what is was like to be at Bluewater Beach throughout the seasons. As these seasons changed, the gardens at the cottage changed with it. In this book I have gathered together my grandfather’s notes, my family photographs, and my own scans of the plants and flowers my great-grandmother planted so long ago. Together, they provide a description of my emotional and physical connection to the cottage and Bluewater Beach.
Alice's Garden, 2018; A portrait of my great-grandmother's garden and the plants that it was made up of.
