Soldato
I tackled the gardens before the gargoyles... I have been farming tons, want to make sure I don't die too easily, and to be honest, those stone knights in the forest go down in 4 hits from me now! Fun farming them
Found the best tactic for the stone knights is to raise your guard only as they attack, that way your stam doesn't run out and recharges quicker! Also, when they debuff your movement, keep your distance as much as possible, only lasts about 30 seconds, but you go no way of rolling out if you have the debuff on.
As for the boss in the gardens, the moth, dead easy, if you are a caster or any good with a bow. I found just spamming greather soul arrow took it down in about 11 hits. If you are pure melee, no bow, you are kinda screwed. The only chance you have to hit is when the moth lands on the bridge for a few seconds, you can get in one flurry of attacks. No more. As soon as it starts to glow, roll out of there as thats its explosive attack.
As for where to go once you have done both the forest and the gargoyles (nevermind the glowing door a the entrance to the forest, come back to that much later apparantly). Head back to the merchant that first sold the short bow, in the undead burge. Buy a residence key from him, costs 1000 souls.
Once you have that, head to the wall where you fought that black troll thing, remember the locked door before you peg it for the dragon? (it's one of the 2 tower doors). Unlock that (you will have the key), now welcome to the area I am now in... I would say grind up but I am lvl 31 an one hitting everything, however they still hurt!
Oh, once you climb down that ladder, you can either go up some steps or down to a burning street. Go up the steps, open a metal gate, opens up a shortcut from the bonfire below the dragon. The shortcut is in the room across the bright from the bonfire (bridge where 2 gits throw fire bombs at you).
Enjoy lads
