[Torie]

The secret service goons just trapsed over the roses because they are what they are. It does seem like a bit much. The grand thing about English weather, is that it is so salubrious to plants, in part because the strains of plants have been bred in that particular climate now for about 300 years. That is why the most fabulous gardens are in those regions with a climate similar to southern England. Go visit Bouchart Gardens, in Victoria, British Columbia, and you will see.

[Torie]

I meant to add as the punch line, is that the plants (azaleas (imported from the Indian Himalayeas (sp)), rodedendruns and the like) will recover smartly, to the extent they suffered from the Bushes.