This is the story of a beautiful oasis in the dark world of a post Second World War European city. The curator of a botanical garden's palm house maintains a display of exotic flowers which only bloom after dark, allowing visitors to come and savour them. When an Asian princess offers him the opportunity to move to a real tropical climate to continue his work will he take up the offer? And who is the mysterious figure who can be seen in the palm house after the visitors have gone home?