The "Gentleman" of the Camellias

"Marguerite had never been seen with other flowers but camellias. Because of this, her florist, Madame Barjon, had finally taken to calling her the Lady of the Camellias." It is one of the most famous passages of Dumas's work. Camellia was the most famous flower of the 19th century and became really fashionable among the ladies and gentlemen of high society. It also became the symbol of Coco Chanel, the great French couturière. The collection of camellias of the Boboli Gardens includes about 66 cultivars, almost all belonging to the Camelia japonica variety , which date back to the early 1800s.