Press Releases

Where The Honda Buffalo Roam

5 August, 2008 - 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 Honda range of Buffalo  lawnmowers 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.

"I've had other lawnmower  brands before, as I've been in the horticultural business for 11 years, but  during this time Honda has proven to be the most reliable and fuel  efficient," Mr Smith said.

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 Mr 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.

"My wife Sue and I have  never had any problems with the Honda mowers; they are renowned for their easy starting  and safety, my wife Sue can attest to that. She is able to operate the mowers  as well as any burly contractor," Mr Smith said.

Mr 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.

"Similar to the way in which  people have changed to drip irrigation instead of spray for their gardens, businesses  such as ours have also had to be proactive and adapt to the change," Mr  Smith said.

CRS Horticulture's equipment list  includes three HRU197 Buffalo Bull mowers which are yielding a good return on  investment, according to Mr Smith.

"Some of the outstanding  features of the HRU197 are its power, torque and fuel economy compared to other  mowers in the same specification range," Mr Smith said.

"Being a four-stroke engine  means time isn't wasted mixing fuel or having the expense of purchasing  premixed 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 Mr Smith's Honda  lawnmower purchase decision.

"We 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 we have little to worry about. The HRU 197 is one of the quietest mowers  we have used, and it enables us greater flexibility to operate at certain  times, especially in the mornings and on weekends," Mr Smith said.