BROWNSEA ISLAND 139 



present owner of Brownsea, Mr. Van Raalte, has 

 greatly changed and improved this Garden. 

 Formerly it had a very large Conservatory across 

 one end, with a glass passage from it, leading round 

 the side of the Garden, and forming a covered way 

 from the pier to the house. But when the house 

 was rebuilt, after the fire in 1896, this was done 

 away with, the whole effect being vastly improved. 



Conservatories and glass passages are great blots 

 upon any Garden ; the only method of reducing this 

 necessary evil to a minimum being to sink them 

 almost out of sight. 



Roses have been planted, at the lower end 

 of the Garden, where the Conservatories formerly 

 stood. Against the north wall, amid a mass of 

 green foliage of every shade, is a stone Fountain 

 supported by dolphins ; little stone cupids hang 

 over the water, which splashes unceasingly on to 

 the dolphins below, and runs over two steps into 

 the semicircular basin beneath, which basin is 

 surrounded by a narrow verge of grass. 



Near the Fountain, against the wall, grows a fine 

 Eucalyptus tree (showing the mildness of the 

 climate), its dull, silvery leaves being a charming 

 background and delightful contrast to the delicate 

 pink Roses growing there. 



A little flagged stone path runs round the 

 Fountain, beside the wall, past a semicircular lattice 

 window in the latter, through which are to be seen 



