"Peter H.M. Brooks" wrote

A garden is an art. A place of artifice. None the less so as it also
appears
to have its own will, growing under the guidance, but not the direction or
rule of the gardener. So it is with pruning.

Well they did some tests a few years ago were they properly pruned some
roses and took a hedge trimmer to others. Providing you cut at the right
height you get just as good blooms as if you prune properly.

But then it is ultimately more enjoyable doing it 'properly ' as you
describe and a sound reason for doing things 'the hard way'. I much prefer
to use hand tools to do woodwork for example. Much more enjoyable than using
some of these modern electric gadgets!

Steve M