It’s not that easy being green.

When Kermit the Frog sang those memorable words he did so as a lonely amphibian resting on a lilly pad.

Central to the muppet's melancholic message was that being noticed when you were green was difficult as you blended into the general mass of nature.

I’m guessing after recent weeks some high-profile members of the Green Party in Brighton and Hove would be grateful for similar camouflage.

Some may even be wishing fracking at Balcombe did get the go-ahead if only it meant the ground opened up and swallowed them.

That’s because the local Green Party’s journey in the last month has been along a very rocky road on a bike without suspension.

Some of the tension is visible and immediate, some of it will only be felt in the near future. What’s not unclear is the discomfort is a big old pain in the neck.

First there was internal squabbling over the decision to change the selection process for its council candidates at the next local election in 2015.

Some believed the party needed to introduce a form of positive discrimination to boost the number of females in public service.

But the original plan to limit male candidates to one per ward – even at the expense of some long-serving councillors – alienated many Green members from a party which claims to promote equality and diversity regardless of gender.

After weeks of squabbling a compromise has been reached.

But, with the principle of banning men from standing as Green candidates still in force across the majority of the city, some respected and highly-thought-of members have walked away from the party entirely.

Swiftly following the largely private infighting came the news that council leader Jason Kitcat would not be standing for re-election, leaving politics all together.

Some cynics claimed it was because he’d had enough.

But with a young family, the reasoning was obvious, even if the timing – 11 months out from an election - could have been better.

Without Jason the party loses one of its biggest assets - even those who don’t agree with his thinking realise that he is an operator, someone who gets things done and tackles things head on.

With him walking away, the party is left without an obvious dynamic leader who is prepared to stand up for what he or she believes in while rallying a disjointed group of strong-willed individuals.

Then there was public comments from controversy-courter-in-chief Ben Duncan who likened members of the armed forces to "hired killers".

Some may well agree with what the Green councillor said. But the general feeling is of surprise, even disgust – especially as they were timed on Armed Forces Day.

More than 2,000 have signed a petition calling for him to resign and an internal investigation has been launched.

With Coun Duncan suspending himself from the party, he has even seen the creation of a chamber pot with his face at the bottom of it saying “I’m off to join the army”.

As one source told me, it seems the party which was split into two is now in three, four, maybe five.

Forget mangoes v watermelons – the Greens seem to be a full fruit salad.

Even Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas - previously untouchable in her ratings - is being affected.

Latest polls show that she is neck-and-neck with Labour’s candidate Purna Sen.

Most bookies in fact put the challenger in the lead.

With the Greens at risk of losing their only council in the country and only MP, the party is really teetering on the edge.

Some, adopting a line from Kermit, may think it is a “lot nicer being red or yellow or even gold”.

But, if I was taking on the role of Miss Piggy as chief advisor, I would remind them that the grass is not always greener on the other side.

The Conservatives have not made the in-roads they would have liked in the city in recent years.

They remain hovering around the 18 seat mark - well away from the 27 needed to take full control of the town hall.

And with Hove MP Mike Weatherley stepping down and a national swing expected away from the Tory-led government, the chances of them winning a majority across the city are minimal.

As for Labour, locally they have all the swagger of a party which thinks it is ready to take charge.

But let’s not forget they are currently the city’s third party with only 14 of 54 councillors and no MPs.

With Ed Miliband’s ability of losing voters only matched with his inability to eat a bacon buttie, the coronation is far from nailed on.

Despite the Greens’ hammering in recent years over everything from parking charges to bin strikes, 20mph limits to the i360, they have still retained a core support.

Plans for an above-inflation council tax rise to protect public services will appeal to many state workers in the city.

And on the plus side - schools are performing better, public transport use is rising, the local economy is thriving and major projects are finally taking off.

With no obvious alternative some, as Labour nationally will find out in the coming months, may simply decide that it is better the devil you know.

Putting my neck on the line, yes the Greens locally will lose seats. But they will not be wiped out.

And a betting man would still put his or her money on Caroline Lucas to still be in Westminster in a year’s time.

Yes it is not easy being green. But that’s true of all spheres of politics.

And while being Green in Brighton and Hove might be a pain in the neck at times, no one can say the journey is not an interesting one.