Garlic is planted here in NY in the fall, with enough time for roots to grow, before the ground freezes. Yes, garlic likes sun. Harvest it in July when half the leaves turn yellow. Before harvest, watch for the flower shoots (garlic scapes) and cut them off to give energy to bulb formation.

what do you mean by the flower shoots?

The garlic plant will put out a curly flower stem in June with a flower developing at its tip. Cut this off and cook with it. It's a garlicy delicacy. Google "garlic scape" for a picture. Cutting it off will give you bigger bulbs in July.