When Craig asked his mother what kind of tree sat by their front door, she replied ‘it’s just a fucking tree’. And for many of us, that’s exactly how we encounter the nature around us. Just a tree. Just a weed. Just a shrub. What we do not notice, we cannot value. Things we can’t tell apart, seem like the same thing.
In Groundwork Craig Jordan-Baker teaches the reader about ten species of plant that are ubiquitous to our urban areas and that are all quietly captivating and come with their own unique ecosystems and rich histories. He encourages us to pay attention to the nature we overlook day to day. Because when we are armed with a little knowledge, our world can change without us moving an inch. Suddenly, what was ‘just’ a tree becomes a leylandii, an elm, a sessile oak. What was an anonymous weed becomes Jack-by-the-hedge, cock’s foot, pellitory of the wall. Suddenly, we exist in a world that’s much richer and more colourful than ever before.
