The first day of what? A four months long vigil? A two week one? Well, who knows, but on Friday we took the difficult decision to close the shop for two weeks. We are fulfilling orders of course –Persephone Books is primarily a mail order business – but the shop is now closed. More details in the Letter tomorrow. Meanwhile, fresh air and gardens are the key for those of us lucky enough to have access to them; although for the poor people, millions of them, confined to their flats, pictures of gardens will have to suffice. The National Garden Scheme has just published its Garden Visitor’s Handbook and, courtesy of one of our most loyal helpers (she helps us with gift-wrapping), we have the London booklet in the shop (and could send it). And mindful of the readers of the Post who accuse us of being too London-centric: this week, photographs of gardens round the country, not just in London. This is Church View, Cumbria.