In 2022 Franklin Landscape & Design started work on a two-acre residential property in Brighton, Victoria. With the owner wanting a large area of beautiful lawns as a key focus, Husqvarna Automower® was integrated into the initial design. It’s definitely the smart way to mow.
When the owner told professional landscaper Dave Franklin how important the lawns were on this project, he straight away considered Husqvarna’s Automower® – actually, five of the Husqvarna units – to be a great fit for the brief.
“It was a pleasure working on this design,” said Franklin. “And, oh, wow! What a project!
“We took a simple, classy approach. The owner wanted a key focus on beautiful lawns, which is rare.”
Considering a maintenance solution for the lawns during the beginning phases of the project allowed Franklin Landscape & Design to present the homeowner with a credible, simple solution so the turf was being maintained from the day it was laid. It also meant a job that needed doing week on week was effectively carried out in the simplest and most effective way for the client.
“One of the best parts is that the lawns still look brand new and perfect,” Dave pointed out after the project’s completion. “Cutting the lawns every day is the key, and that’s why I knew Automower® would be the perfect fit.”
Design
A large area of lawn was a major priority on the brief, and Dave and his team knew from the start the commitment to maintenance would be considerable. The design included a horseshoe-shaped driveway and a pedestrian path between the driveway arms, providing a formal entry past a fountain and risen lawns.
The front yard’s landscaping was designed to be formal and classic to suit the home’s architecture, and the risen lawn beds were designed to be at the same height as the front of the entry to the home. Travertine pavers of different sizes were used throughout, with the orientation of the pavers used to create an interesting aesthetic.
The smart-home automation of the Automower® fleet was important to the homeowners and was also evident in the automated pool and water-feature cleaning systems.
Ideal for the job
TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda was the chosen turf, driven by the client’s desire for expansive, lush, green lawns reminiscent of golf courses or bowling greens. TifTuf has a fine-textured leaf and velvety finish, which provided the high-end, sophisticated look the client was seeking. Additionally, TifTuf’s excellent drought tolerance and durability made it an ideal choice for maintaining a pristine appearance with minimal upkeep.
An Automower® fleet was identified right from the early stages as an ideal system to meet the client’s needs. Automower® offers a high-quality mowing finish and consistent lawn maintenance which aligned perfectly with the client’s expectations for a pristine, well-manicured lawn. Automation ensures the turf remains in optimal condition with minimal manual intervention, enhancing the overall maintenance efficiency.
“The Franklin team selected Automower® as the right maintenance tool before they had completed the design process,” said Husqvarna Robotic Sales Specialist, Cameron Root. “This gave them scope to integrate the Automower® requirements into the design itself. For example, the paving and the lawn meet at a perfect level, allowing the Automower® to cross over the lawn edge to give that smooth edge finish. No trimming is needed.
“Another advantage of the X-line Automower® models is the ability to control them from anywhere in the world, right from your smartphone,” Cameron continued, “so the Turf Maintenance team had the option to remotely oversee the cutting schedule as soon as the units where installed, even before the landscaping was complete.”
A great result
The project took around eight months and the result is spectacular. The lawns provide a lush and pleasing setting for the immaculate home, and the driveways and fountain a pleasing focal point.
Even the turf supplier is rapt with the result.
“The potential benefits of using Automower® were evident during the initial discussions with the client about the instant lawn brief,” explained Candice Fisher from Lilydale Instant Lawn. “We identified an Automower® fleet would be an excellent complement to the TifTuf turf.
“Automower® offers a high-quality mowing finish and consistent maintenance, which aligned perfectly with the client’s expectations.
“In our experience, the fleet of five Automower® units has surpassed expectations in terms of performance. The mowers have consistently delivered a high-quality finish, effectively maintaining the lush, green appearance of the TifTuf turf, and the ease of maintenance and reliable operation of Automower® have proven to be invaluable, perfectly complementing the expansive areas of turf and ensuring the lawn remains in pristine condition throughout various seasons.”
To learn more about Automower® and Husqvarna products, scan the QR code or head to husqvarna.com/au.
