The New Plants are Here! Plus Landscape Updates!

All the new plants have arrived! They are so beautiful!

For those just tuning in, all landscape design and installation is being performed by Eagle A. Improvements (apologies to Eagle for omitting the “A” in previous posts, but all links are correct).

Albert and Keren have really outdone themselves picking out gorgeous, full, and healthy plants. It was like Christmas when they arrived bearing these gifts!

Our color scheme of greens, with blues, purples, and white, is really coming to life with all of their plant choices, and for an extra bit of icing on the cake, Keren surprised us with Texas Bluebonnets!

We are so excited for these!

Albert chose some beautiful ivy to incorporate in our back tiered planting area, so that it can start flowing down the sides. Great idea!

Albert and Keren got right to work placing all the plants in the areas they had planned for them.

They’ve already planted the hedges along the front of Royalview.

While the plants are being organized, there is much more work going on at the same time in different areas. The workers are building molds to pour steps for our walkways.

When I realized what they were doing, I was so surprised. I thought they were going to just purchase some pavers to put in amongst white gravel to make our walkways, but no, and when I mentioned my surprise to Albert, he said they do not do anything just the regular way. They go the extra mile to make things really nice.

He is not kidding. Willie and I are super impressed with this team’s attention to detail on every level. If you’ve been following our landscaping series of adventures, you’ll know that Albert and Keren have gone plant shopping with us personally so we could pick out and discuss the types of plants that would be great for the color scheme, look, and feel of our property, plus the plants that would thrive in our environment. They always add a personal touch to everything they do.

Here are a couple of update pictures of our back yard.

Look how nice our tiered garden area is coming along! They have been placing these stones one by one and leveling everything as they go. All the backyard grass is going to be resodded as well.

They are working on better drainage for us since we live on a hilltop with our back yard hill area coming down toward our home. They are also installing irrigation systems for every planting area. That is going to be so nice.

Back steps are being poured as well. We have a generator and propane tank in our back yard. This will make it much easier for workers to check on these systems, and also easier for us to not have mud and dirt tracked across our back patio on every visit. Win, win!

We also have a small area that lies between our house and garage. This was piled with bricks that the former homeowner left behind. Eagle was able to utilize some of these bricks for our back tiered planting area, and the rest they are going to haul off for us. Albert advised that gravel would work best in this area. Due to the way it slopes down, it will make it easier to drain off when it rains. It is an unused area, so no need for grass maintenance here either.

They’re getting it prepped for white gravel.

It’s going to look so neat and clean, and no worries on upkeep.

Okay gang, onward and upward!

All the folks at Eagle “A” (thank you very much!) Improvements have gone out of their way to make this a wonderful experience for me and Willie, and to make sure that we are seeing our dreams brought into reality.

We could not be happier. Everything is exceeding our expectations on every level.

Till next time, stay safe, and follow your joy. God is truly good!

Johanna and Willie

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Landscaping Design, Landscape Progress Report, Houston, Conroe, Home Improvement Company, Best Texas Landscape and General Contractor, Eagle A. Improvements, Non-SponsoredTestimonial, Outdoor Custom Steps

The Eagle (Improvements) Has Definitely Landed Today!

Can you hear the sounds of progress today?

Hello everyone!

I certainly can. Eagle Improvements is here in full force, and things are really coming along very nicely with Royalview’s landscaping.

There’s work going on in the front and back today.

They are working on building a tiered garden for the back yard. You can see the outline of the structure better in the photo below. It’s all going up-hill in a 3 layer tier. This is one of the first things I could envision when we first looked at our new home. There was a large stump here from a downed tree from our most recent hurricane, but I could see that there was a natural curving and layering here that would be perfect for a beautiful garden. Albert and Keren from Eagle were right there with me in this vision. They could see the outline and layering as well, and I’m so excited to see it coming to life!

All the garden areas have been cleared and marked for planting and for seating areas.

It’s going to be so wonderful to be able to sit out here and view the lake from our yard. We’ve ordered 2 swings that will be sitting in the little garden areas in the front.

I’ll be back with more updates. They’re working pretty fast today, so I’m headed back out to see the new progress. We’re very honored today to have another of Eagle Improvements’ owners present, Anthony. We met him first thing this morning. Our favorite dynamic duo, Albert and Keren, are out purchasing plants this morning and have been keeping us informed of their finds. I’ll be sure to snap some photos when all the beauties arrive today!

So excited! I believe I’ve said that before, and I’ll probably keep saying it!

And where’s Willie? He’s out having fun organizing the garage, listening to some tunes. It’s a happy work-place today!

Till next time, stay safe, and follow your joy!

Johanna and Willie

acrossthelake.blog

Landscaping, Landscape Design, Houston, Conroe, Texas

Landscaping has Begun!

Today’s the day! Landscaping for Royalview has officially begun!

The crew at Eagle Improvements showed up bright and early today, and it’s been a blast already. Willie and I have been so excited to get things going over here, and Eagle was been with us every step of the way in regards to design, budgeting, and choosing the right plants for the look we’re going for, as well as the hardiness of different species for our see-saw weather here in Southeast Texas.

This morning you guys, was a very special treat. Keren and Albert of Eagle went plant shopping with us! We’ve been sending pictures back and forth, Keren has visited several garden centers, and has sent us numerous pictures, but they thought it may be beneficial to shop together since we have a garden center not too far from us here. So yay! A field trip today!

We’re going for a casual, by the lake look, with varying green tones, whites, blues and purples.

Here are a few pics of our visit to the garden center and plants we’re loving:

We are choosing gardenias because of the beautiful deep green leaves and very fragrant white flowers.

And look at these little beauties. These are Lanai White Imp. Trailing Verbena. I love the white flower clusters.

Keren spotted these right away! And there’s Albert. These two are so artistic and creative, and know which plants are going to be perfect for our setting. They are such a joy to collaborate with.

Here are a couple more hedges that we’ll be utilizing. I know that one is named Wax Leaf Texanum.

These are my favorite, that I’ve been asking for, Big Blue Liriope! They will have purple blooms.

Keren found these really pretty plants called Dwarf Lily of the Nile. I’m really loving the blue and white flowers on these.

Here’s one more little flowering plant. I cannot remember this one’s name, but the flowers are a really pretty purple.

We’re of course, very excited to see how everything will come together. The crew has made great progress today in getting things cleared and cleaned, and have begun digging out the grass in areas where they will be installing walkways and planting/seating areas.

Here are the computer art pictures that Keren sent us to give an idea of the completed look:

We’ll keep you up to date as Project Royalview continues, so stay tuned! Please be sure to subscribe by email to get new post alerts.

Till next time, stay safe and follow your joy! God is truly good!

Johanna and Willie

acrossthelake.blog

Landscaping Project, Houston, Conroe, TX, Eagle Improvements, Landscape Designers and Installations, Beautiful Gardens, East Texas

Timber! Tree and Stump Removal Day at Royalview

These guys are brave!

Hey everyone! Before landscaping can begin, there were 2 pine trees and 8 stumps that had to be removed from our property.

We had one dead pine, and one who’s roots had been chopped during construction of this home, and was located at a slant on the edge of a hill, right next to the house, so that meant danger up the road.

As for the stumps, we had a total of 8, with one that was very large right in the middle of the back yard.

Isn’t that a beauty?

But these guys took care of it right away. They were like an army.

There were guys working the back, and the front at the same time. I believe it only took them about 2 hours to complete everything.

We’ve had tree removal work done in the past, at our former home, and have never seen anyone work this fast or efficiently before. They were amazing.

They cleaned up everything when they left. You wouldn’t know they had been here, except for just a bit of stump dust in the back from that very large stump.

Willie and I both highly recommend this company (not sponsored, just spreading the good word). New Way Tree Service. newwaytrees@gmail.com

We’ll certainly call them if we ever need this type of service again. For sure.

Till next time, stay safe, and follow your joy! God is truly good!

Johanna and Willie

acrossthelake.blog

Best Tree Removal Service Houston, Conroe, Texas, Review

Front Porch Decor at Royalview

It’s been really fun shopping for front entryway decorations for Royalview.

I knew I wanted faux plants, and the main reason why, is because I have the opposite of a green thumb. Willie gets good laughs from this fact. I love plants so much. I don’t know what’s up with my efforts, because I certainly try…

So, artificial entryway greenery, it had to be, and of course we needed a beautiful front door mat that ties in with the colors we’re utilizing indoors.

As soon as I saw this CHICHIC Door Mat, I knew this was the one. I love the mosaic design and the colors are so gorgeous in blue and beige tones! It has a nice heft to it, and it’s been wonderful, even during some of our recent storms. The size is 24×36 and it weighs 7.2 pounds. We love it!

For our plants, I was so happy to find a pair of cedar trees. I searched for a while to find just the right look and size for us, and I really like the size of these trees (height and width). I chose 3 ft. trees, but they also come in 4 and 5 foot tall varieties. They really do look real. I already received the highest compliment from my niece, Amy, who, when I was telling her about ordering these, she replied, “They’re not real?” We’ve been interviewing landscapers recently, and they’ve commented favorably on our entryway trees. And we of course are very happy with them, so yay!

Classic Home and Garden Spartan Urn from Amazon (Paid Link)

For our pots to hold our beautiful trees, this was a more difficult decision it seems, but when I came across these cast iron look planters, we knew they would contrast well since our home is detailed in black. These are not a stark black, but have a more “worn” iron look. They appear to be very heavy, but they are not. They do have a nice heft to them, but they are easy for me to lift and put into place. These are made of  a silicone, polypropylene, and stone dust blend. 

The urns arrived already assembled, so we were ready to go!

The cedar trees did arrive needing to be assembled, but it was very easy. Everything was wrapped up very well. The trees are put together like a Christmas Tree, with the top part fitting right into the bottom connection. The plants came in their own pots and are set in cement, so they are a nice weight. We fluffed out the branches (they have an instructional provided to show you how). The branches need to be going upright to give them a real cedar look. It’s not difficult to do, as they look best a bit unkempt to seem more natural.

Before putting the cedar trees in the urns, Willie drilled holes in the bottoms of the urns for drainage.

Once we had placed the tree pots into the urns we added white rocks, and now they aren’t going anywhere. They are very steady and stable. We are loving the whole look together.

We are debating adding chairs to our front porch, and which type. We’ll keep you updated of course.

In our conversations with landscapers, we may add a swing or a bench or two to the bottom of our hill area, so we’ll see what kind of look comes together for everything.

Till next time, stay safe, and follow your joy!

Johanna and Willie

acrossthelake.blog

Links to our Amazon finds:

CHICHIC Door Mat

Artificial Topiary Cedar Trees

Classic Home and Garden Spartan Urn

Front Door Decor, Front Door Decorations, Artificial Plant for Front Door, Faux Cedar Trees, Faux Cast Iron Planting Urn, Beautiful Welcome Mat in Blue Tones

View from Across the Lake

Willie and I had a fun time yesterday, adventuring around to the other side of our lake. It is so beautiful!

There is an area for residents to visit, with a pavilion, boat ramp, and picnic areas.

I could stay out here all day, taking in the beauty. It was an overcast day, but it was still so gorgeous, and it was nice and breezy.

I was very excited that I could see our home. I was able to zoom in and capture Royalview, across the lake.

There she is, high upon her hill, overlooking all the beauty.

I also got a pretty good shot through the pavillion (from the road).

I can see the pavilion from my kitchen window, so we are directly across from each other.

We drove around the lake soon after we moved in and saw the side of the pavilion, but it wasn’t until yesterday that we found the right road to continue all the way around. I’m so glad we did. I think we’re going to have a wonderful time visiting this area often, and bringing guests as well.

Till next time, stay safe, and follow your joy!

Johanna and Willie

acrossthelake.blog

Lakeside View, Lakeside Pavilion, Conroe, Texas, Lake Conroe Area

Fun Photo Shoot Day at Royalview

Capturing the vibe of Across the Lake, Royalview, and emoting more of our personalities…

Those were our goals yesterday, and I believe we met that, with a lot of help from our dear nieces, Amy and Loralie.

They are bright lights in our lives, and bring us much joy! Loralie had jokes at the ready, to keep us laughing, and it worked! Just having them around keeps us smiling.

Amy also acted as our stylist, and she hit it out of the ballpark with the right look to capture the vibe of our lives now at Royalview.

We had such a lovely day. The temperatures here in Texas were in the 80’s, and we enjoyed sandwiches, and a delicious Across the Lake cake.

Here are some of our favorite moments from the day:

Willie and I look forward to sharing much more content with you about our journey here at Royalview. We are enjoying every moment and are very grateful to all the wonderful people who have helped us along our way.

Today’s special thank you’s and shout outs are to Amy and Loralie! You ladies are the best, and we love you dearly!

Johanna and Willie (Aunt J. and Uncle Willie)

acrossthelake.blog

Fun, Photo Shoot, Lakeview Home, Texas Lake Home

Dining In our New Home

So thankful to be settling in and getting back to a more normal routine in our new home.

I was just speaking with my Niece, Amy, about how crazy our eating habits had become during our travels searching for a new home, and then getting ready to move, and then moving, etc. etc., and how glad I am to be back to planning and preparing meals. It’s still busy around here, but we are finding more time to do meal prep, so it’s getting better every day now.

AELS Melamine Small Salad Plates and Bowls (Amazon Associate Paid Link)

A new (and pretty) addition to our home is our Melamine dinner set. These have been so wonderful, and go with the vibe of Royalview so well.

AELS Melamine Small Salad Plates and Bowls (Amazon Associate Paid Link)
AELS Melamine Dinner Plates Light Blue (Amazon Associate Paid Link)
AELS Melamine Dinner Plates Light Blue (Amazon Associate Paid Link)

These Melamine dishes come in a 20 piece set (Plates, Salad Plates, Bowls). They are lightweight and easy for me to handle, but yet very sturdy (a lot more sturdy than the paper plates we began with), and we both adore the design. They are so well done, they look like ceramic dinnerware.

In case you’re wondering why the dinnerware advertisement, Willie and I have decided to become Amazon Associates during our journey here. Amazon has been such a wonderful way for us to shop easily during/after our move, so we thought we’d love to share some of our favorite finds along the way, that you may love as well.

But, yeah, definitely a fun set. We’ve been enjoying them very much.

We look forward to getting our new kitchen all set up. I’m sure Amazon will be a huge part of getting everything organized in our cabinets, kitchen drawers, and pantry, and we look forward again, to sharing with you along the way.

Till next time, be safe, and follow your joy!

Johanna and Willie

New Amazon Associates! Yay! We’re very excited!

acrossthelake.blog

Dinnerware, Melamine dishes, Food Pictures, Amazon Shopping, Home

AELS Melamine Dinner Plate – Light Blue – Cracked Ice Pattern (Amazon Associate Paid Link)

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