Hi Trudy, There are some powders that do a better job than others, but powder does settle in any lines one has. It can give a wonderful flawless look to young skin, but in mature skin it is best left for evening and pictures as chinacat said. Don't let a salesperson persuade you that you "need" it, because most of us don't. If you have very oily skin, or perspire a lot it helps is stay a little better. I wear a mineral foundation over my normal foundation very lightly to hide the red in my cheeks (it works better for me than a powder although that isn't how it is designed), but if I didn't have that issue I'd avoid it. Much more youthful without it. By the way, Mac products are very good. They have a lot of pigment in them and last. I'm unfamiliar with their foundation though.

I am usually not a fan of roses as foundation plants in the front. I do not like thorns next to a walking path or entrance. The other reason is that only passers by get to enjoy the view of front roses. I am selfish enough to want roses where I relax in the back garden. I would fill most of your front beds with a ground cover plant that could be mowed from time to time. Some months ago we had a thread asking for curb appeal on a house but I found their garden so impressive that I kept a picture of it. I don't know the type of plant but you can see it is low, attractive and uniform. I see some Hostas but I do not think they are needed. If it is not invasive in your area I would use something like Ceratostigma plumbaginoides. I see a vine near a corner on the right side of your house. I would remove that if you do not enjoy gardening minutiae. I like vines but they require some tying and training in the beginning. My impression is you have other things you would rather do. I also see many medium to large shaped shrubs in back and on the side of your house. If you do not enjoy shearing shrubs I suggest removing some of them and training others to be more tree like with exposed trunks on bottom. Another thought is to replace them with plants that do not grow as large. Such plants do exist but it requires more patience in choosing plants. The front of your house has a balanced look and does not require being smothered in plants to be attractive. I like annuals so I would recommend leaving an open space near the entrance for seasonal color.

Trust your instincts. Sorry you had to deal with someone less than truthful. I've been there.

Roots don't damage an intact foundation. You have a large house which needs taller corner shrubs to help relate it to the site. Any plant large enough to anchor your corners is going to have roots. Hollies are highly prunable. You need a local designer. Also, the mature JM can be relocated, you don't need to kill it.