On page 240 of the May No. of ' The Gardener' you state, "The winter terrace-garden at Woodstock is the most unique thing of the sort in the three kingdoms." I (and doubtless many other amateur gardeners) would be gratified by a description of this garden. Indeed, the terrace-garden is not sufficiently appreciated by gardeners; for it should, wherever practicable, form a leading feature in all properly-laid-out gardens, inasmuch as it becomes, where judiciously placed, a part both of the architecture of the house and a part of the garden, - connecting them in a suitable manner, and forming a harmonious arrangement, which can only be effected satisfactorily where masonry and formal planting can be employed. Few subjects are worse understood than the principles which should guide us in laying out flower-gardens near country residences; and if the terrace-garden you name is (and doubtless it is) so admirably placed and well arranged, you cannot probably further good gardening more than by a description which will alike benefit myself and other amateurs, and call deserved admiration to the skill and taste of the late Woodstock gardener, Mr M'Donald.

Hoyle. W. J. Rawlings.

[From the columns of our excellent Irish contemporary, ' The Gardener's Record,' we obtain the following description of the winter terrace-garden at Woodstock, and trust it will meet the wishes of our correspondent. - Eds].

"In designing the winter-garden, Mr M'Donald had a distinct eye to the fitness of things; nothing so fit, certainly, on that particular spot as a winter-garden: and the design and execution of this one at Woodstock deserve the highest credit. The idea was to put something beside the house that would be artistic, and yet harmonious with the surrounding landscape. This has been done, and successfully done.

"The winter-garden is perfectly square, and perfectly level. To make the ground level was no small undertaking. The whole of Woodstock, be it remembered, is a sloping hill; many thousands of cartloads of earth had, therefore, to be carted to bring the site of the winter garden flat. It is supported on two sides - the side next the river and that farthest from the house - by a retaining wall of granite. The wall accomplishes another thing besides supporting the garden, it joins it on to the house. The garden thus, as it were, forms part and parcel of the house. The wall is surmounted at intervals by balls and vases of granite, the whole work executed by native workmen; and very creditably executed it is. The vases and coping of the wall are beautifully cut.

"The garden is intersected by two gravel-walks, 15 feet wide, thus cutting it into four quarters. From the house the garden is entered by a broad flight of highly ornamental metal steps. But to the eye these steps have the appearance of granite, being coated over with granite sand. One of the 15-feet walks runs straight down the centre of the garden from the steps to the retaining wall. The side of the garden farthest from the river joins on to the arboretum already mentioned by a sloping grass terrace. The other intersecting walk, from the retaining wall next the river, ascends the terrace by means of a flight of granite steps, and is carried straight up the sloping bank for about 100 yards, when it is stopped by a huge tree and a seat. Thus, while the winter-garden is kept a very distinct design, it is joined easily and naturally on to the other grounds.

"The four quarters of the garden are each a sunk panel 20 inches below the general surface of the ground. The space between the panels and intersecting walks is a carpet of smooth grass; in fact, the panels are set in a framework of grass. These 15-feet walks are the perfection of walk-making. They feel under the feet almost like a carpet; they are just sufficiently raised in the centre to throw off the water; their surface is covered with a thin coating of washed sand; and they are as smooth as if a carpenter's plane had been over them. The comfort afforded by walks like these, especially in winter, can be best appreciated by those who have not enjoyed the luxury of a well-made walk.

"To come now to a description of the panels. All the minutiae and details cannot here be given without a plan. Perhaps a general idea may be given in words. The area of each panel is a scroll-work of shrubs resting on gravel. We see in these panels what fine results can be obtained from shrubs and shrublike plants without the help of flowers. The panels are worked out in two distinct designs or patterns; the two next the house are one pattern; the two farthest from the house are another; but there is a unity of design in all four. Unity, not uniformity. But how is this effected? By the disposition, size, and colour of the plants. Much skill and practical acquaintance with the habits of the different plants employed are necessary to bring out a pleasing result in work of this kind. Of the thousands of plants employed, any one of them misplaced, as regards shape, colours, or size, would be incongruous, and mar the beauty of the whole. There is almost every shade of colour from the darkest deepest green to the lightest silvery grey.

Then, as regards the size of the plants, the lowest are 6 inches, the highest 6 feet, with every intermediate size.

" The outlines of the scroll-work are formed of low hedges, about 18 inches high and as much broad, of various kinds of shrubs. One of these is the common Portugal Laurel, than which, for this kind of work, nothing can be better. Lauristinus, Common Yew, and so forth, are also used. But these low hedges are edged with Box 6 inches high and 6 inches broad, thus relieving and lightening the higher hedge. The filling up of the scrolls is managed with much artistic skill, the object being to have a variety of colour as well as height. For silver grey the Lavender-Cotton is much used. Nothing can look prettier than low masses of this small-leaved plant. Aucuba Japonica also answers well; so does the Alexandrian Laurel and common Butcher's Broom. It is needless to name all the plants that are worked into these scrolls; suffice it to say that they are full and well done. In the panels next the house, Shamrocks are worked in Box, very appropriate and very pretty.

"But the scroll-work, however cleverly designed and filled with dwarf plants, would be tame without the tall ones. There is in the scrolls a carpeting of many colours, but if there were no tall plants the winter-garden would be something like an elegant room carpeted to perfection, but destitute of furniture. The tall plants are indispensable to the winter-garden. They consist chiefly of Yews and some of the finer Cupressus. Particularly beautiful are some specimens of C. elegans and Thuja Nepalensis, with various Red Cedars. In the centre of each of the panels next the house is a statuette on a pedestal, representing some out-of-the-way human beings of a negro-looking type. We agree with Mr M'Donald that statues of Goldsmith and Moore would be better. Near the river end of the intersecting walk is a handsome sun-dial, on a pedestal of Cork marble. The small walks in the scroll are filled with various-coloured gravel.

"We see in this garden how much can be done with shrubs and plants of a shrubby character. As a whiter-garden this is a gem. The general impression that it leaves on the mind is that of richness. The walls, the terraces, the walks, the panels, the plants combined, form a picture of rare beauty. It reflects credit alike on the proprietor and the gardener".