The River House

Mary Windham
Special to the Record

May 20, 2008 11:02 am

— Betty Richard’s home at 237 Rivera has been chosen as the May Yard of the Month for area 3, which goes from Highway 80 to Highway 123 and Hopkins Street.
This home was originally built with one bedroom a small kitchen and bath on the San Marcos River. Betty’s parents, Hardin and Jimmie Dee Moore, purchased this cabin from Mr. H.Y. Price in 1962. They used this as a weekend get away from their busy life in Dallas. Moore made several additions to this home in his lifetime after he retired and moved to San Marcos permanently.
The house, known as the River House, is built around a huge sycamore tree. Betty, who moved back into the house after the death of her parents, has spent an inordinate number of hours working in her yard. Her passion as well as her hobby is gardening. As a result of her many visits to England, she became impressed by the English gardens. Her goal was to achieve a garden similar to the English garden where she could work, relax, and enjoy the beauty.
She has certainly accomplished that.
Her flower beds next to the front of the house are sprinkled with river fern (which Mrs. Buckner gave her 40 years ago), monkey grass, and an array of geraniums and other plants in pots that are seated in amongst the monkey grass. There is a bed of winter annuals next to the side walk of petunias, pansies, snap dragons, mandevilla, as well as several ground covers.
Butterflies, birds, and cats abound in this yard. However, they all seem to co-exist in this beautiful serene garden.
The plants and ponds behind the house continue to portray the same ambience as the gardens of the front. The large lawn ambles down to the river. Many organizations make use of this lawn for picnics, barbecues and parties. Betty says she takes care of all the plants, but her brother-in-law, Curtis Parkerson, keeps the lawn mowed.

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