Brown Reserve is a small public park on Brown Street in Ponsonby, central Auckland, with a five-star Google rating to its name. Small reserves do quiet but important work in a villa suburb like Ponsonby: with houses sitting close together on slim sections, the neighbourhood park becomes a shared back garden for dog walks, kickabouts and ten minutes of sun on the grass. Auckland's local parks tend to be simple places — mown grass, mature trees, a seat — and part of their appeal is that lack of fuss. Dog owners should check Auckland Council's rules before unclipping a lead, as access varies from park to park. On a weekday morning or early afternoon, a pocket-sized reserve is often at its calmest. Brown Reserve looks like exactly that kind of unassuming green corner for Ponsonby, and a perfect rating suggests locals think highly of it.