The angle of the sun is low in the early morning and late afternoon, which casts long narrow shadows. Combined with a high intensity light, this low angle of light can produce great opportunities for photographing subjects that are backlit - appearing to have a glow around them. At midday, when the sun is overhead, shadows are directly below and are very intense. Most photographers take a nap at this time because film does not handle this broad range of light. Our eyes can still see detail within this broad range, but the contrast is too great for film to record.
Bright areas become a detailess white and dark areas go completely black.
When photographing in the garden, I prefer a broadly diffused light. It gives my photographs a soft, airy feel. With these conditions, it is bright but there are no heavy shadows. Oftentimes these ideal conditions are few and far between or you can't get out to shoot when they occur. So, if the light is too bright, try modifying it.