The night was warm and still when the bats flew over the lake.

On the Serpentine Bridge, 16 people—the only visitors at the 385-acre С�Ŷ���Ƶ—watched the bats hunt on Evening Island for night-flying insects and a little honeysuckle nectar to wash them down.

Another side of the Garden emerges after the front gates close for the night—one in which the natural world is less colorful but more dramatic. In the dark, your senses sharpen. You look at blooms in a new way when they are lit by lightning bugs instead of the sun.

Aguilera starts her day job at 6 a.m., when she watches the sunrise from the Waterfall Garden. The sight, smells, and sounds of the late-night walk from 9 to 10:30 p.m.—including large croaking toads—took her to a different place.

“It was invigorating,” she said. “I had so much fun to see the willows and other plants reflected in the water in the moonlight will be beautiful,” she said.

Photo courtesy of Cathi Fremer

On the small-group moon walk, Aguilera will use a UV light to illuminate plants the way pollinators see them, with traces of pollen. 

• The walk is on paved paths; participants must stay with the group on the designated route.
• Dress for the weather.
• Bring a flashlight.
• Bring a water bottle.
• Your phone’s automatic photo settings should work well for pictures.
• Tips on what to add to your own moon garden: