In 15th-century France, the medieval town of Grasse had a problem. It reeked of dead animals from its booming leather trade. Then came a clever idea to mask the stench: a pair of gloves infused with the scent of local flowers. It sparked a new industry. Flowers were planted; techniques invented. And what began as a cover-up grew into an art form, establishing Grasse as the perfume capital of the world. In 1921, when Coco Chanel wanted to create a signature scent for her fashion house, she went to this town in the south of France, where fields once bloomed in abundance, but have faded over the decades. Now, a revival is underway, and that's where our story begins tonight, in Grasse, where flowers for the world's most famous perfume have been grown and gathered for more than 100 years.  This is the Rose Centifolia – nicknamed the May Rose – because it blooms in spring. Cultivated in row after pink row, it is a flower worthy of a serenade.…