Garden Escapes Volume 1
by Anick Giroux
Garden Escapes – Volume 1: Beatrix Potter’s Countryside invites readers into some of the most beautiful historic gardens of England’s Lake District and surrounding countryside.
Inspired by the landscapes that shaped Beatrix Potter’s world, this first volume explores gardens where history, nature, and quiet craftsmanship meet. From carefully sculpted topiary to intimate cottage borders and sweeping historic grounds, each location tells a story about the people who shaped these spaces and the traditions that continue to keep them alive.
Inside this guide, readers will discover remarkable places such as Levens Hall, home to one of the world’s oldest and most extraordinary topiary gardens, as well as other historic gardens where centuries of horticultural knowledge, creativity, and patience have shaped landscapes that continue to inspire visitors today.
Part travel inspiration and part garden reflection, Garden Escapes invites readers to slow down and look closely at the beauty of cultivated landscapes — where architecture, plants, and time work together to create something enduring.
Whether you are a gardener, a traveler, or simply someone who appreciates historic places, this guide offers a glimpse into gardens that have quietly shaped the cultural landscape of England for generations.
This first volume begins a growing series dedicated to remarkable gardens around the world — places where history, artistry, and nature meet.
Future volumes in the Garden Escapes series will continue exploring extraordinary gardens across Europe and beyond, offering readers both inspiration and a deeper appreciation for the landscapes that shape our cultural heritage.
In this volume, you will explore:
• Historic topiary gardens
• Traditional English garden design
• Landscapes connected to Beatrix Potter’s countryside
• Gardens that continue to inspire visitors today
📖 Writing about life, money, gardens, and the choices that shape our paths — always from lived experience, never formulas.
Hi, I’m Anick. I write about life, decision-making, money, and the experiences that shape the paths we take. My work is rooted in lived experience — not quick fixes or rigid formulas. After more than two decades working in finance, I came to understand how deeply personal our choices truly are. Money, work, family, creativity, and even the spaces we cultivate — like gardens — are all part of the same story: how we build a life that feels meaningful and sustainable. Some of my books explore financial clarity and independence. Others explore gardens, places, and the slower rhythms that help us reconnect with what matters. Different subjects, but the same intention behind them. Each book is written to meet readers where they are — without judgment — offering perspective, reflection, and practical wisdom drawn from real life. Because the way we manage money, plant gardens, and make decisions are all different ways of shaping the life we want to live.
