“Did anyone, and I mean anyone, come out smelling of roses?”

“Roses is evocative of a country where nature is appreciated; but you and I know that irrespective of the seeds that have been sown, the garden is overrun by weeds — some weeds have turned brown with age, others are green and proliferating but they are the poisonous variety and…”

“Hey I am not interested in gardening…”

“Those that have gardens must know that there are many weeds that cause injuries to animals for example foxtails in a horse’s mouth, while cockleburs in those animals from where we get wool can lower their value…”

“You being literal or figurative? I mean surely you are not talking about all the players in our politics – politicians and non-politicians…”

“Crop rotation is used on occasion to resolve the weed issues…”

“Hmmm, but that didn’t work in our politics did it!”

“Crop rotation is labelled as a mechanical method to control weeds but that failed right…so why not use chemicals…I mean there are all kinds of weedicides and…”

“And if these herbicides destroy the crop as well! What then?”

“Only for one season right! They come right back…”

“So do the weeds…”

“So is there a solution?”

“The garden cannot be left to itself right? I mean a garden is man-made while how about leaving nature to take its course…I mean…”

“Not possible in the Land of the Pure – what with massive estates of the elite and an extremely lucrative easily tax-avoided real estate business and…”

“I don’t get it my friend.”

“Let me clarify: weeds, the bane of most man made gardens, are not as noticeable in nature and in addition weeds in nature provide critical ecosystem services such as protecting and restoring exposed or degraded soils and certain weeds also make nutritious food or fodder and…”

“You reckon it’s not too late…”

“There is nothing man can do that is not correctible is what I say — it may take a long time but…”

“But patience is not a hallmark of our people.”

“Then the weeds would also grow.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022