Update on DIY Pergola Cover and Backyard Changes

I promised to let y'all know how well our $18 DIY Pergola cover held up and I'm here today to share that with you. Click HERE to see my original post with the tutorial. It's been about 9 months now and it's held up surprisingly well. 

We live in the Houston area and it's very hot and humid, mixed in with regular rain showers, so I knew mold and mildew could possibly be a problem. After almost a year of constant use, the cover did show some mold and mildew. I was going to get a "before" pic, but my hubby was so fast in taking it down, I didn't get a chance to. The mold wasn't bad, but there was some present, so he untied the corners and took the cover down. We just soaked it in a plastic tub with water and a little bleach overnight and it was good as new in the morning! We draped it over a few chairs to air dry a bit before hanging it back up.


These are the "after" pics...

It just took a few minutes to tie the corners back up and it was good to go. 

Just a few more backyard pics...

We also did a little project back here. See this mulch covered spot below?

It used to house a wooden deck that originally held our hot tub. We got rid of the hot tub years ago, but kept the deck. Over the years, the deck wasn't looking too pretty. It was in bad shape and the only thing we had on it was our grill and that little table and chairs. 

So we dismantled the deck, put down some weed guard, and topped it with mulch for a little seating area. 

Don't worry...we always pull the grill out in the open when using it. I am married to a fireman, ya know. ;) 

We wanted to keep it easy to mow around with the riding mower, so we made big curves that the mower could easily maneuver around.

I should have gotten a "before" pic of this table too. We've had it for many years and it has always been our "Easter egg dying table" as well as our "Carving pumpkin" table. If we were doing a messy craft project, it was always done outside on this table. The table started looking a little rough with the paint flaking off in several spots as well as some rust showing up.

I was ready to get rid of it, but my hubby had the idea to just paint it. Genius! Can't believe I didn't think of that! Once again, paint to the rescue!

 These are "after" pics because once again, I failed to get a "before." 

My hubby first used a wire brush to remove loose rust and paint. Then he used phosphoric acid to neutralize the rust. Next, he sprayed it with Rustoleum black spray paint. Good as new, I tell ya!


I decided to replace a few Lantana with Indian Hawthorns and Boxwoods for a more "evergreen" look in the yard year round. I still have the option of adding in colorful annuals if I want, but I'm kind of liking the "green" look for now.

I replaced more Lantana on this side (below) with Hawthorns and Boxwoods too. I still have a few Angelonia left from last summer, so I'll have to see if they bloom again. If not, off with their heads. :) 

My tried and true Blue Plumbago never disappoints. It bloomed almost the entire year, save for a few weeks in February...

It's just gearing up and will be full of those pretty blue blooms soon.

So that's it for the backyard update. Thanks for stopping by!

~Lisa