The next night blooming plant that I came across was from the Cactus family. To be more exact, the night blooming Cereus. I never quite got mine to bloom, but none the less, it boasts a beautiful bloom once it does. Also, in the cactus family is the night blooming “Queen Of The Night,�?as it is commonly called from the cacti genus Selenicereus, whose flowers open from 9pm to 3am, quite an odd time to catch it in bloom unless of course you’re a bat!

Another choice in fragrant night blooming plants is the night blooming Jasmine, Cestrum Nocturnum. Although these are quite similar to the day blooming Jasmines, the difference is you will see these blooms under the starry skies. I have never personally seen this plant, but I’m sure it would make a spectacular addition to any night blooming or scented garden.

Of course, if you have a water garden, then certainly, why not include some water plants in your moonlight garden? Tropical night blooming water lilies come in white (of course), but also in red and pink. With the addition of pond lights, this could definately add some color to your night!

Then, there are the common plants that work well at night as fill-ins to your tropicals. Almost any white colored or silver colored plant that keeps its blooms open or has white or silver foliage during the night will reflect the moonlight and make a perfect garden walk-way marker. One such plant is the common Dusty Miller. The silver leaves reflect the moonlight so well, and they are also small enough to use as an edge plant. Mix in a few brightly colored impatients, and a few white ones for the moonlight effect and you have a perfect border day or night.

A lovely white night blooming shrub from the tropics, Boovardia Longiflora, is an ideal addition to late fall, early winter night blooming gardens. Of course, since it is a tropical plant, this one is more suited to either indoor gardening or greenhouse gardening, unless you have warm fall evenings!

Other similar tropical night blooming plants include Heliotrope Valeriana, Nicotiana Alata, and Bavardia Gardenia Radicands. So, even though fall is here for most of us, why not go ahead and get a big pot and start your tropical night blooming garden! What could make more of a Halloween suprise then flowers that “glow�?in the dark!