With unpredictable weather patterns and ensuing dry conditions, gardeners and horticulturalists alike have had to make considerable changes in order to meet water limit restrictions in many states.
Gardening and landscape maintenance are big business in Australia due to the vast suburban expanses, sporting fields and public amenities; the horticultural industry contributes over a billion dollars each year into the economy.
In recent years there have been trend changes in the industry as the once favoured and water-dependent English-styled cottage gardens and lawns become unsuitable in one of the driest continents on earth.
Akin to the way in which horticulturalist and gardening enthusiasts are opting for drought resistant plants and Asian style gardens, so too is there a shift in gardening-care equipment, particularly among professional contractors.
The range of Buffalo lawnmowers from Honda Power Equipment, a section of Honda MPE, is considered by many municipal operators, gardening enthusiasts and contractors as a strong, fuel efficient and reliable mower according to owner and horticulturalist Chris Smith from CRS Horticulture in Ringwood, Victoria.
CRS Horticulture like many other gardening and horticultural businesses, sprouted from humble beginnings.
The family business which is operated with the help of wife Sue MacDonald, has an ever-expanding clientele that includes customers as diverse as Vermont Waste Transfer Station, The Department of Justice in Heidelberg, The Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant and the Manor Inn in Mitcham.
According to Chris Smith, having full bookings means downtime needs to be kept to a minimum so CRS Horticulture's equipment must be reliable as well as user friendly and safe.
Chris Smith said that his wife Sue and he never had any problems with the Honda mowers and they are renowned for their easy starting and safety. He also said that Sue can attest to that and she is able to operate the mowers as well as any burly contractor.
Chris Smith said that rising fuel costs and current weather patterns have had a serious effect on the horticultural industry, as an influx in drought proof gardens and the replacement of traditional lawns with drought-hardy varieties now proving most popular.
Chris Smith said that similar to the way in which people have changed to drip irrigation instead of spray for their gardens, businesses such as theirs had to be proactive and adapt to the change.
CRS Horticulture's equipment list includes three HRU197 Buffalo Bull mowers which are yielding a good return on investment, according to Chris Smith.
He said that some of the important features of the HRU197 are its power, torque and fuel economy compared to other mowers in the same specification range.
Chris Smith said that being a four-stroke engine means time isn't wasted mixing fuel or having the expense of purchasing pre-mixed blends. The four-strokes also provide better fuel efficiency which is an important consideration to the business' bottom line.
Compliance with municipal laws and noise regulations has also been a contributing factor in Chris Smith's Honda lawnmower purchase decision.
He also said that they work a lot in quiet suburban neighbourhoods and on weekends when people don't appreciate being woken by raucous power equipment. Noise is a major OH&S issue, but with the Hondas they had little to worry about.
He said that the HRU197 is one of the quietest mowers they had used, and it enables them greater flexibility to operate at certain times, especially in the mornings and on weekends.