Comfort reads this week and first up the absolute go-to, never fails to cheer one up: Diary of a Provincial Lady.

A reader sent us this picture of a pink magnolia in France. Could it be lovelier. Please support the National Trust's 'bring back blossom' campaign, details here.

And we must not forget apple tree blossom: more advice on fruit trees with blossom here.

A flowering crab apple, totally maintenance free (except for the occasional light pruning) and then in the autumn there are the beautiful red crab apples.

Is there anything more beautiful than a flowering cherry? You don't have to be Japanese to feel that, everyone loves them.

There are two options, despair or head-in-the-sand. On the Post this week it's the latter. At the moment in the UK the blossom trees are at their peak, and although Bath does not have swathes of them (this is because the Georgians did not approve of front gardens) there are still enough to make this time of year magical. IF one's head is buried. So for those minded to plant a blossom tree, in the hope of a better world this time next year, a symbol indeed of that hope, here are the five best. And the first, obviously, is a pink magnolia. The National Trust has a list here of the best gardens with magnolias. This is Agatha Christie's house in Devon, Greenway, which is on the water. It has dozens of magnolias.

The greatness of Etty Hillesum defies words and certainly at the end of a deeply upsetting week, we have none. Here are two excellent pieces about Etty, in the Paris Review and The Low Countries. Next week, despite the war, the Post will endeavour to be more light-hearted.