郁金香,荷兰 Tulip fields in Netherlands (© 1111IESPDJ/Getty Images)
郁金香,荷兰 Tulip fields in Netherlands (© 1111IESPDJ/Getty Images)
盛放的美好时光 A blooming good time
郁金香,荷兰
从著名的郁金香花田到世界上最大的花卉拍卖市场,荷兰与郁金香的渊源悠久。有趣的是,郁金香的原产地并非荷兰。这些绚丽的花朵最早于 16 世纪末由奥斯曼帝国传入荷兰。到了 17 世纪,郁金香的价值飙升,甚至一颗郁金香球茎的价格曾超过一栋房屋。这一时期被称为“郁金香狂热”,常被视为是最早有记录的金融泡沫之一。1637 年价格崩盘后,许多人一夜破产,但荷兰人对郁金香的喜爱却从未消退。
最著名的郁金香花田,如今日图片中展示的壮观景象,主要分布在阿姆斯特丹郊外的博尔伦斯特雷克(花卉区)等地。红、黄、粉、紫等色彩斑斓的郁金香花海绵延至天际。另一处不可错过的赏花胜地是位于利瑟的库肯霍夫公园,这是世界上最著名的花卉公园,每年春天仅开放数周,展示超过七百万株花卉,包括稀有和异国品种的郁金香。公园的花卉设计每年都会变化,因此每次参观都会带来全新的体验。如果错过了郁金香的花期,也无需遗憾。荷兰的郁金香产业全年保持繁荣,这一点在阿尔斯梅尔花卉拍卖市场体现得尤为明显,作为全球最大的花卉交易市场,这里每天有数百万朵鲜花,包括郁金香,被买卖并运往世界各地,为无数家庭带去缤纷色彩和春天的气息。
Tulips, Netherlands
From famous tulip fields to the world's largest flower auction, the Netherlands and tulips go a long way back. Tulips didn't originate here. These beauties arrived in the country in the late 16th century, brought from the Ottoman Empire. By the 17th century, they became so valuable that a single bulb could cost more than a house. This period, known as 'tulip mania,' is considered one of the first recorded financial bubbles. When prices crashed in 1637, fortunes were lost, but the love for tulips remained.
The most famous tulip fields, like the ones pictured here, are found in regions such as the Bollenstreek (Bulb Region), just outside Amsterdam. Rows of red, yellow, pink, and purple stretch as far as the eye can see. Then there's Keukenhof, in Lisse, the world's most famous flower park, open only for a few weeks each spring. It showcases over 7 million flowering bulbs, including rare and exotic tulip varieties. The designs change every year, so no two visits are ever the same. If you miss the bloom, don't worry—the Netherlands keeps its tulip industry thriving year-round. The Dutch take their tulips seriously, and nowhere is this more evident than at the Aalsmeer Flower Auction, the largest flower market in the world. Here, millions of flowers, including tulips, are bought and sold daily, making their way to homes across the globe.