PP who suggested lantana here - I wood still recommend watering regularly, don't wait for it to wilt. But if you forget to water, at least it tells you it's unhappy.

I would skip geraniums - if you don't remember to water reguarly, they won't flower/grow very well. I always like Lantana because it wilts when it wants water. As soon as you water, it perks right back up again and it blooms all summer. I agree vinca and petunias are good choices.

Cacti?

I'd go with perennials if you want low maintenance. With any flower you have to clear it out when it's dead, but at least with perennials you don't have to plant every year as well. Be careful of the type, though. We have tons of daffodils and I love them, but they don't bloom very long and then their stems take forever to die and dry up (you leave them there so the plant can feed itself and produce well next year), so they look amazing in the spring and then terrible well into the summer. So I would avoid daffodils, perhaps. Tulips are less work to maintain though not as stunning. My favorite new perennial is columbine; they come in lots of colors and so far the one I got is proving quite resistant to my neglect.

You might consider flowering bushes, which add interest throughout the year even when not in bloom. Azalea or rhododendron do well in full sun. Or a small flowering tree like a dwarf weeping cherry or redbud. Or a small forsythia.

If you get impatiens, be sure to get New Guinea Impatiens as the other type does not like full sun.

I agree with the PP who recommended Vinca. They are an annual and do very well in strong sun. They come in every color imaginable.

Portulaca is good for direct sun. Also lavender and Russian sage have purple blue flowers and thrive in direct sunlight. Petunias also do well in direct sunlight and spread quickly filling in blank areas. They are in all colors and either are or soon will be at the garden centers.

It is work to garden, but it will keep you sane.

Do you have deer in the area? If so there's certain flowers, like marigolds, that they stay away from.

You could get annuals this year and then get some bulbs in the fall -- daffodils if you have deer, tulips if you don't

vinca grows well in full sun and are good for dry summers - comes in many colors. It's an annual.

Salvia East Friesland has a dark purple bloom from Spring to Fall. Good in Full sun. Plus, it's a perennial.

Yes, my husband takes Claritin for allergies.

Wait a month and get some geraniums and impatiens, then be prepared to water once a week. Marigolds are a little tougher. Once you have mastered some basic annuals, you can troll garden centers to see what other options you like and might work in your yard.

Anybody in the house allergic to plants/pollen/hayfever/etc?

First let me state that I'm a new homeowner and I know absolutely nothing about gardening. That said, our house desperately needs some landscaping. I'm looking for some ideas on low maintenance flowers that I could plant in the front of our house. The area gets full sunlight. I am a big fan of oranges and purples. I really liked the look of the marigolds I saw at the local Ace Hardware. Any input on those? Or any suggestions for other flowers that might do well in this type of area? Thanks!