[annieokie]

That sounds like what we call a moon flower. Large white bugle like flowers, smells great and opens just about sundown. If you ever get them started you will have them every year.

Each flower dies every day, but developes a prickley pod of seeds. We love them, when blooming in mass, they are beautiful.

The large hummingbird moths love to work in them each night.

[Darksheare]

Weird.
Only saw it the once.
Not certain if those normally grow in NY or not.
Datura?
Looks familiar.
If it smells similar or reminds one of lemon pledge spray, that would be the flower.
Reading up on it, it is toxic like foxglove, nightshade, henbane and mandrake..