庫肯霍夫每年如何種植700萬株花卉 | Big Business：英語精讀講義

Here at Keukenhof,

在庫肯霍夫，

7 million bulbs are planted by hand 文法

700萬顆球根全靠人工種植，

in just 3 months.

而且只用3個月。

Spread across 80 acres, 文法

花園占地80英畝，

it's one of the world's largest spring flower gardens 文法

是世界上最大的春季花園之一，

with 800 varieties of tulips.

擁有800個鬱金香品種。

That's a tulip,

那是一株鬱金香，

this is a tulip, yeah.

這也是一株鬱金香，對。

Gardeners like Owen Carroll work year-round to make sure these flowers impress. 片語搭配

Owen Carroll這樣的園丁全年都在工作，確保這些花卉令人驚豔。

It has to be perfect.

一切都必須完美。

Because people come over from over the whole world.

因為遊客從世界各地遠道而來。

It takes millions of dollars and 40 gardeners

要花費數百萬美元，並動用40名園丁，

to create the dozens of designs for this flower garden,

才能為這座花園打造數十種景觀設計，

and they bloom for only 8 weeks.

而花期卻只有8週。

So every day counts. 慣用語

所以每一天都很重要。

But last year,

但去年，

because of COVID-19,

由於COVID-19疫情，

the gardens were closed to the public

花園不得不停止對外開放，

for the first time in 71 years. 片語搭配

這是71年來的第一次。

We had no income at all in 2020,

2020年，我們完全沒有收入，

which was really a disaster for us.

這對我們來說真的是一場災難。

We faced a financial loss 片語搭配

我們面臨的財務損失

of between 5 and 10 million Euros.

介於500萬至1000萬歐元之間。

Knowing a lockdown was likely again this year, 文法

考慮到今年很可能再次封城，

Keukenhof had to make a choice. 片語搭配

庫肯霍夫必須做出選擇。

Plant everything as usual

是像往常一樣全部種下，

or play it safe and plant a more modest garden. 慣用語

還是保守一點，縮小花園的種植規模。

They decided to take the risk. 片語搭配

他們決定冒這個險。

But this year's opening has already been delayed by several weeks.

但今年的開放已經延後了好幾週。

We make costs during the entire year,

我們一整年都會產生成本，

12 months of the year,

一年12個月都是如此，

and we only make money in 8 weeks.

卻只有8週能賺錢。

With the clock already ticking, 慣用語

時間已經開始倒數，

will these efforts be for nothing? 片語搭配

這些努力會不會全都白費？

Keukenhof is located in Lisse, Netherlands,

庫肯霍夫位於荷蘭的利瑟，

and roughly translates to kitchen garden.

這個名字大致可譯為「廚房花園」。

Owen has been working at Keukenhof for 33 years, 文法

Owen已經在庫肯霍夫工作了33年，

and he's pretty much a tulip expert. 片語搭配

可以說是一位鬱金香專家。

I didn't see much flowers 文法

我沒見過多少花，

when I came here first.

剛來這裡的時候。

Now,

當時，

I knew what a daffodil was,

我知道什麼是水仙花，

but not a tulip.

卻不認識鬱金香。

Every season begins by tearing last year's bulbs out of the ground. 講解

每個種植季一開始，都要把去年的球根從土裡挖出來。

They'll be composted and used as fertilizer.

它們會被製成堆肥，用作肥料。

For your own garden,

如果是在自家花園裡，

you can leave them in the ground.

你可以把球根留在土裡。

But if you leave them in the ground for 3 or 4 years,

但如果讓它們在土裡待上三、四年，

the flower is going to be smaller and smaller and smaller. 文法

花會越開越小，越來越小。

You won't get the accepted quality

花的品質達不到標準，

as you put in new bulbs.

不如種下新球根。

So that's the whole idea.

這就是這麼做的原因。

Harvesting 7 million bulbs is no easy task, 慣用語

採收700萬顆球根可絕非易事，

and it's definitely not quick.

而且肯定快不了。

It takes the gardeners almost 2 months.

園丁們要花將近兩個月。

This is where the creative stuff happens.

創意工作就是在這裡進行的。

Meanwhile,

與此同時，

designers like Frans get to work. 片語搭配

Frans這樣的設計師也開始工作。

I do this by hand,

我先用手繪製，

and then I put it in the computer.

然後再輸入電腦。

It takes him about 4 months

他大約要花4個月，

to get dozens of designs

才能把數十份設計

from draft to final. 片語搭配

從草稿完善為最終方案。

Each of the 800 different varieties of tulip in this year's show

今年展出的800個不同鬱金香品種，

was hand-selected based on its quality and color. 片語搭配

都是根據品質和顏色精心手選出來的。

The designs are finalized by early summer,

設計方案會在初夏前定稿，

and then the orders are sent out to bulb growers.

然後把訂單送給球根種植商。

Meanwhile,

與此同時，

gardeners use Frans's map to measure and mark the boundaries

園丁們會按照Frans的地圖測量並標示邊界，

to prepare the garden.

為花園做準備。

In late summer,

到了夏末，

the millions of bulbs Frans ordered arrive.

Frans訂購的數百萬顆球根就會運到。

They're then sorted by color, shape, and variety,

隨後，它們會依顏色、形狀和品種分類，

and checked for size and firmness.

並檢查大小和硬實度。

Each bag will be assigned a number

每個袋子都會分配一個編號，

that corresponds to a plot and type of bulb 片語搭配

對應相應的區塊和球根類型，

to ensure the gardeners make no mistakes.

確保園丁不會出錯。

Preparation is everything. 慣用語

前置準備決定一切。

If the preparation isn't good,

如果準備工作沒做好，

the result won't be good also. 文法

最後的成果也不會好。

When October hits, 用詞

到了10月，

it's time to plant.

就該開始種植了。

Everybody's got his own spade.

每個人都有自己的鏟子。

This is the most important tool in the gardener's toolbox.

這是園丁工具箱裡最重要的工具。

I got it nearly uh 25 years.

我用了它差不多，呃，25年了。

It's like my second marriage. 慣用語

它就像我的第二段婚姻。

The tulip is a beautiful but short-lived flower,

鬱金香很美，花期卻很短，

lasting only about a week and a half. 文法

只能開大約一個半星期。

So to keep the gardens flowering all 8 weeks of the season,

為了讓花園在整個8週展期裡花開不斷，

the gardeners use a technique called the lasagna method, 文化背景

園丁會採用一種叫做「千層麵種植法」的技術，

where they stagger early and late blooming bulbs. 用詞

將早花和晚花球根錯開種植。

The late bloomers are planted first and deeper,

晚花品種最先種下，而且埋得更深，

and they arrive in May.

到5月才會開花。

The middle row blooms around April,

中間一層會在4月左右開花，

and the crocuses are on top

番紅花則種在最上層，

since they blossom in March.

因為它們3月就會開花。

If you pay money,

如果你花了錢，

you want to see your flowers.

當然就想看到花開。

So that's why we plant in different layers.

所以我們才會分層種植。

Late flowers, early flowers,

晚花品種、早花品種，

and crocuses.

還有番紅花。

All of the planting here

這裡所有的種植工作

is done entirely by hand.

完全由人工完成。

A machine cannot plant shapes like this.

機器種不出這樣的形狀。

A machine cannot plant in layers,

機器無法分層種植，

and a machine cannot plant mixtures.

也無法混種。

Every day, cold, rain,

日復一日，不管天冷還是下雨，

doesn't matter.

都沒關係。

It's just a lot of work.

就是工作量很大。

There's no problem.

沒什麼問題。

The Dutch climate is perfect for tulips.

荷蘭的氣候非常適合鬱金香生長。

Not too hot and with winters just cold enough 文法

天氣不會太熱，冬季又足夠寒冷，

to trigger an important biochemical process

可以觸發一項重要的生化過程，

needed for the tulips to bloom properly.

這是鬱金香正常開花所必需的。

When the soil temperature is below 55 degrees,

當土壤溫度低於華氏55度時，

it breaks down starches and carbohydrates 片語動詞

球根裡的澱粉和碳水化合物會被分解，

in the bulb to form glucose.

轉化成葡萄糖。

Glucose is less likely to freeze than water 文法

葡萄糖比水更不容易結冰，

and helps the bulb withstand colder temperatures.

能幫助球根抵禦更低的溫度。

Then when the temperature rises,

隨後，氣溫回升時，

the glucose becomes an energy source

葡萄糖就會成為能量來源，

that helps the flower bloom.

幫助花朵綻放。

For ideal growth,

要達到理想的生長狀態，

it should stay cold for around 12 to 14 weeks.

寒冷天氣應持續大約12至14週。

Tulips originated in the central plains of Asia

鬱金香原產於亞洲中部平原，

and were a favorite flower of the Ottoman Empire 文化背景

曾是鄂圖曼帝國最喜愛的花卉之一，

before being imported to the Netherlands

後來才被引進荷蘭，

around 400 years ago.

那是大約400年前的事。

It's the time of Rembrandt, Vermeer,

那是林布蘭與維梅爾生活的年代，

famous Dutch painters,

他們都是荷蘭著名畫家，

and the prices of tulip bulbs,

當時鬱金香球根的價格

they go sky high. 慣用語

一路飆升。

And one of the canal houses was sold for three tulip bulbs,

甚至有一棟運河邊的房子只用三顆鬱金香球根就成交了，

which is nowadays of course

這在今天當然

impossible to understand.

讓人難以理解。

The Dutch were basically trading in tulip futures, 文化背景

當時荷蘭人其實是在交易鬱金香期貨，

speculating the price would go higher and higher.

賭價格會一漲再漲。

And then at one time,

後來有一天，

people started to realize

人們開始意識到，

that it was gone up a little bit too high,

價格已經漲得有點太高了，

like the bubbles that we have now in the economy,

就像我們如今經濟中的泡沫一樣，

and the prices went down.

於是價格開始下跌。

And that's what we call the tulipomania times. 文化背景

這就是我們所說的「鬱金香狂熱」時期。

And then 100 years ago,

後來到了100年前，

the first real professional tulip growers

第一批真正的專業鬱金香種植商

created their farms here in this surrounding.

開始在這一帶經營農場。

Now almost every tulip flower you see around the world

如今，你在世界各地看到的鬱金香，

has its origins here in the Netherlands. 片語搭配

幾乎全都源自荷蘭。

And that's pretty big business.

這可是一門大生意。

The floral industry in the Netherlands is about 6 billion Euros,

荷蘭花卉產業的規模約為60億歐元，

and the flower bulb industry,

其中花卉球根產業

is about 700, 800 million Euros a year.

每年約有7億至8億歐元。

Since tulips are generally grown from a bulb,

鬱金香通常由球根培育，

not a seed,

而不是種子，

they take patience to propagate. 文法

所以繁殖需要耐心。

And creating enough bulbs

要培育出足夠多的球根，

to introduce a new variety

以便推出一個新品種，

can take 20 years.

可能需要20年。

You can see some of them on display here at Keukenhof's greenhouse pavilion.

其中一些新品種就在庫肯霍夫的溫室展館中展出。

The grower brought it to Keukenhof to show it to the audience.

種植商把它帶到庫肯霍夫，展示給觀眾。

New tulips aren't just named, 表達脈絡

新鬱金香不只是被命名，

they're baptized.

還要接受「洗禮」。

As soon as someone wants to baptize it, 文法

一旦有人想為它舉行洗禮，

there will be a ceremony

就會舉辦一場儀式，

with a lot of champagne

現場會有大量香檳，

and the big certificate,

還有一張大證書，

and then the tulip will be registered to its new name.

隨後，這個鬱金香品種就會以新名字完成註冊。

There are about 6,500 tulip varieties,

鬱金香大約有6500個品種，

and each is registered at the Royal General Bulb Growers Association.

每個品種都會在荷蘭皇家球根種植者協會註冊。

It is from the Darwin uh hybrid group,

它屬於達爾文雜交品種群，

and it's called Momotaro.

名叫Momotaro。

Yes.

對。

No clue what it means,

不知道是什麼意思，

but an old traditional small tulip,

不過這是一種傳統的小型老品種鬱金香，

and it's called Quebec.

名叫Quebec。

This one's called Neglige.

這一株叫Neglige。

It's very pointy.

花瓣非常尖。

The color changes.

它的顏色會變化。

It starts yellow,

一開始是黃色，

and at the end it's red.

最後會變成紅色。

Leading up to the opening, 片語搭配

臨近開放日，

things get pretty stressful here

這裡的氣氛會變得相當緊張，

as everyone works tirelessly to make sure things look perfect.

因為所有人都不眠不休地工作，確保一切看起來完美無瑕。

Sometimes you see a little spot

有時候，你會看到一小塊地方

where something is mixed up, 片語動詞

混進了不該有的顏色，

a yellow one

比如一株黃色鬱金香

in a field of red tulips.

長在一片紅色鬱金香中。

It's a disgrace for the gardener.

這對園丁來說簡直是恥辱。

They'll pick it away anyway.

他們無論如何都會把它摘掉。

There's a crocus from last year.

這裡有一株去年留下的番紅花。

So.

就這樣。

See?

看到了嗎？

We just keep them,

我們就是這樣照料它們，

keep them tidy.

讓它們保持整齊。

They had hoped to open on March 20th, 文法

他們原本希望在3月20日開放，

but with the Netherlands still in lockdown,

但荷蘭當時仍處於封城狀態，

opening day came and went, 慣用語

開放日就這樣來了又過去，

with the park staying empty.

園區裡依舊空無一人。

It's been hard for the people.

這對大家來說很難熬。

For instance, gardeners

比如那些園丁，

that have been planting bulbs for 3 months.

他們連續3個月都在種球根。

They've been on their knees,

他們一直跪在地上工作，

and there's no problem

這本來沒什麼，

because that's their job.

因為那就是他們的工作。

They love it.

他們熱愛這份工作。

They also love to show

他們也很喜歡向大眾展示

what they've made to the public.

自己的成果。

For now,

目前，

the rest of the world will have to wait 文法

世界其他地方的人還得繼續等待，

and view Keukenhof via virtual tour.

只能透過線上導覽參觀庫肯霍夫。

It's a very hard time.

這是一段非常艱難的時期。

We have to adjust, of course,

我們當然必須做出調整，

as every company does.

就像每家公司一樣。

But we will face it.

但我們會勇敢面對。

Keukenhof is an institute.

庫肯霍夫是一個指標性的機構。

We're the showcase of the floral industry

我們是花卉產業的展示窗口，

in the Netherlands.

代表著荷蘭。

It's a hard period of time,

這是一段艱難時期，

but we will survive at least.

但至少我們會撐過去。

And we hope for a good 2022

我們也期待2022年會是美好的一年，

because Keukenhof is still beautiful.

因為庫肯霍夫依然美麗。