Overgrown grass, weeds and roadside vegetation has been a hotter topic than usual this summer.

The state of the Island’s parks and public open spaces has, at times, left a lot to be desired. Some areas have become virtually impassable jungles of long grass. Weeds and grass have freely encroached on sidewalks and roads, while roundabouts ended up resembling objects of wild abandonment.

It has left many people asking why things were allowed to get so out of hand.

Over the years, Bermuda has done a sterling job keeping its public spaces, parks and roadside verges in a good state of repair.

The well-trimmed, cared-for, natural environment is one of Bermuda’s joys, helping the Island shine for visitors who understandably marvel at the high level of maintenance and pride shown to our parks, nature reserves, green spaces, and crowning jewel — the Botanical Gardens.

So it has come as a shock during the past few months to witness far more weeds and grass encroaching on sidewalks and roadsides than in previous years. Areas in some public spaces have become virtually impassable jungles of long grass.

Even to a casual observer the evidence points to maintenance of parks and road verges being done less regularly, less effectively, or both. This has led to a heightened level of chatter and disquiet among residents and visitors asking what is going on.

Look no further than letters published in this newspaper since June to find headlines that reflect those concerns, from “Overgrown weeds are a disgrace” and “Blight on our landscape”, to “Visitors complain about Botanical Gardens” and ‘”Growing problem of unsightly weeds”.

Alternatively, check some of the most recent reviews of the Botanical Gardens on the TripAdvisor website, or use the Google Maps’ images of the Island captured earlier this summer to make some dramatic “then-and-now” comparisons.

It is accepted that at certain times of the year, particularly during summer, vegetation grows at a faster rate and can lead to some places appearing temporarily unkempt until a parks or works department team arrives with mowers and trimmers to restore order. However, this year has been different.

The increased prevalence of roadside weeds may have something to do with the Bermuda Government’s ban on certain herbicides, such as Roundup, announced at the start of summer. Hopefully, alternatives are being used and the roadside spraying programme has not been curtailed, although the visible evidence suggests the latter.

Some may ask why we should care. One answer is simply the beneficial feeling of uplift that comes from living in pleasant surroundings. Also, as a tourist destination, visitors impressed by the Island’s natural and manicured beauty are far more likely to return and encourage their friends to do so.

But there are also safety concerns when bushes, trees and weeds are allowed to encroach on roads. Bermuda’s roads are narrow, and in places where there are no sidewalks, pedestrians must exercise extra caution. Their risk of being struck by a passing vehicle is heightened if they are forced to move further into the road to avoid excessive weed growth or the branches of trees and bushes sticking out into the carriageway.

The Government has quite rightly called on owners of property that front public roads to cut back vegetation that encroaches on sidewalks and highways. That is good advice, and we should all play a part in keeping the Island neat and tidy. Many residents did so last weekend during a coastal clean-up.

Thankfully, in the past few weeks there has been a noticeable uptick in efforts by parks and works crews to straighten out public open spaces and road verges, while areas of the Botanical Gardens that were in a lamentable condition a few months ago, now look markedly better.

It is clear that the level of maintenance has improved and various roadsides, open spaces and parks appear spick and span once more, while the Island’s roundabouts have trimmed grass and structured flower arrangements again.

Whatever the reasons for this year’s prevalence of overgrown grass, weeds and vegetation along roads and in public open spaces, it is to be hoped that in the future there are no lengthy gaps between the carrying out of upkeep and maintenance work.