长木花园：奇迹背后的故事
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老桑说
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「 朋友，你好，我是老桑。 」
老桑在针叶树小丘
春天的脚步终于来到了费城，最近我游览了长木花园，那里有着世界首屈一指的园艺景观。占地达436公顷（4.36 平方千米）的公园里，有着各种花草树木和令人叹为观止的景色，以及独特而迷人的山水景观。
老桑在长木花园的草坪上
每年，花园都会接待来自世界各地超过150多万游客。这里尤其受到中国游客的欢迎。无论哪个季节，每次我来到这里，都会看到几十个甚至几百个中国家庭和学生在欣赏展览。公园里甚至还配有中文地图，标注着园子里众多的特色景观。
植物园是一年中任何时候都可以来这里放松，亲近和探索自然的好去处，它可以让你感觉更有活力。我曾经和你分享过我对参观北京植物园的思考，这是一种可以让自己静下心来，重新审视自己的想法和感受的方式。
从无到有
It wasn't always so
然而，长木花园并不是一夜之间建成的。起初杜邦公司（E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company）董事会主席的皮埃尔·杜邦 (Pierre S. du Pont) 于1906年买下了这处房产。当时，这处房产还是一个废弃的农场和arboretum（植物园），亟待清理。不过，他买下农场的初衷就是想把它变成一件杰作。
1907年，他新建了一条600英尺长的花园小径。1913年，杜邦扩建了自己的房子——皮尔斯杜邦馆（Peirce-du Pont House），里面有一个植物培植室，同时生活区域也扩大了许多。他还建造了一个露天剧场，后来又进行了扩建，为花园带来了艺术和戏剧。从那时起，他开始着手实现自己雄心勃勃的改建和扩张计划，添置了许多温室。
植物培植室
花园中的有些景观花费数年时间才落成。1921年，历时三载最终落成的室内培植室，一直是世界上最宏伟的温室之一。直到1929年，杜邦还在继续添置新的建筑。他还花了两年时间建成了一座意大利水园，模仿他在佛罗伦萨看到的景观。
然后在1931年，他完成了主要喷水池花园的建设，380个喷水孔可以每分钟将10000加仑的水循环喷射到130英尺的空中。到20世纪30年代末，花园彻底竣工，杜邦终于可以开始享受自己的创造成果。
用好时间来做点什么
Take the time to do something
当游客在花园里漫步时，他们纷纷惊叹于这里的广阔和各种各样的风景。与此同时，有几个展览记录了花园的历史，它提醒我们，花园精巧绝伦的美景不是一天创造出来的，而是按照创始人最初的愿景，经过一系列的阶段才实现的。
在这次参观中，我重点关注了花园的历史。我浏览了那些曾经被废弃而杂草丛生的农场老照片，仔细查着花园各个部分的建筑图景，追溯当年杜邦的远见与dedication（付出）如何造就了花园今天的模样。
花园小径
从奠基到落成，杜邦花了30多年才终于让它出现在世人的面前。一步一步，一个接一个项目，花园最终达到了他们设想的完美状态。此外，我发现杜邦在进行每一个项目时都变得更加ambitious（雄心勃勃）。例如，他的第一个喷泉只有一个喷嘴，但他后来建造的却是有史以来最宏伟壮观的喷水景观。
在很大程度上，长木花园的建造过程是一种对生命的隐喻。从一些小的或破碎的事物开始。把握内心远见和坚定，你就能成功。随着时间的推移，点滴的积累就会逐渐达到一个新的状态，进入一个推动自我前进的良性循环。请保持耐心，因为成功需要时间。
皮埃尔•杜邦享有着能干和谦虚的声誉。由于他有能力来达到目标，他可能不会急于着手实施自己的想法。相反，他会把事情想清楚。他从不吹嘘，也没有伪装成别人的样子，而是坚持行胜于言。这种精神也是生活的准则。
挑战与快乐
Challenge and pleasure
在花园里的一段关于皮埃尔·杜邦生平的视频中，叙述者解释说，长木花园为杜邦一家提供了“近半个世纪的挑战和快乐”。我发现有趣的是，他们把“挑战”和“快乐”放在一起，这表明杜邦并不认为挑战和快乐是不一致的。相反，迎接挑战给他带来了极大的乐趣。
我一边思考，一边漫步于一处占地35公顷、拥有许多当地原生植物的标志性美国景观草坪。走过草地和土路，颠簸于起伏的丘陵地带的过程让我得到了很好的锻炼。完成徒步旅行的挑战很有趣，而且之后我的心情会十分舒畅。
草坪
“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” –John Muir, naturalist and early advocate for the preservation of wilderness in the United States.
“生活中所有的路径，都应该有些尘土。”——约翰·缪尔，自然学家，美国早期的荒野保护倡导者。
我们可以把这种心态应用到许多生活所面临的许多挑战中去。我们面前并不总是有一条平坦的道路和明确的方向。但是，如果我们调整我们的态度，我们可以充分利用我们的环境，把挑战看作是成长的机会，并从中获得乐趣。
忠于你的目标
Stay true to your purpose
杜邦的增建和扩张的计划与他当初买下公园的目的是一致的：为了拯救树木。他说:“树木的伤害是可以无法弥补的，但时间和金钱可以弥补大多数其他错误。”随着时间的推移，他又栽植了数百棵大树，维护植物园的文化成为了花园扩张规划的统一主题。
这对我们也具有某种启示。当你在追求自己个人成长的过程中，应该有一个目标或主题来让你集中注意力，走上正轨。人生的目标在于认识到自己的天赋，并利用它们来为世界做出贡献。杜邦有很多天赋，但他对园艺和保护自然的热情造就了我们今天所欣赏的花园。
连翘
我相信杜邦在扩建花园时遇到了许多障碍，但他的毅力驱使他继续前进。他可能会说:“it will all work out…it always does”，这是一个常见的英语习语。它的意思是事情总会有好的结果，总是能有一个令人满意的结局。
如果他能到做这件事，你也能
If he can do it, so can you
故事到这里时，你可能会认为杜邦来自一个富裕的家庭，他有资本来实现这个宏伟的奇迹。这也许是真的，但其实，他的财富并不是创造这一成就的原因。而是他的远见和决心让他实现了梦想。无论你处于人生的哪个阶段，只要你有远见和决心，你也能在这个世界上留下自己的印记。
针叶树小丘
你的过往不代表你的命运。即使你家境贫寒或受教育程度有限，你也可以为自己找到一条通往成功的路。但如果你什么都不做，就会停滞不前，甚至落后于人，因为很少有人不通过努力就能幸运地取得成就。但是如果你能制定一个计划并且遵照其实施，你肯定会比现在生活的更好。
我的朋友，游览长木花园是为了体验世界上最美好的自然景观，了解它是如何从一个废弃的植物园逐渐变成今天这样壮观的美景。我们自己的生活也是如此，应该从小事做起。通过提升自己的能力，保持谦逊的态度，培养远见和毅力，我们也可以留下一笔财富，这将是我们留存于世的宝藏。
内文照片均由老桑拍摄。
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英文版
English
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Longwood Gardens:
you can do it, one step at a time
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「 Hello, my friend！
I'm John Smagula. 」
As the spring is finally arriving here in Philadelphia, I visited Longwood Gardens, one of the world’s premier horticultural displays. At 1,077 acres (436 hectares or 4.36 km²), the gardens offer breathtaking vistas of trees and flowers that blend with unique and fascinating water features.
Each year, the gardens welcome over 1.5 million visitors from all over the world. Longwood Gardens is particularly popular with Chinese tourists. No matter the season, each time I visit I have seen dozens, if not hundreds, of Chinese families and students enjoying the displays. There are even Chinese-language maps with details on the garden’s many features.
Botanical gardens are great places to visit any time of year to relax, connect, and discover a place where the living things around you make you feel more alive. I once shared with you my thoughts on visiting the Beijing Botanical Gardens as a way to retreat and gain perspective on your thoughts and feelings.
It wasn't always so
Longwood Gardens, however, did not become this way overnight. Pierre du Pont, who later became chair of the board of the E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, purchased the property in 1906. At the time, the property was an abandoned farm and arboretum slated for destruction. He purchased the farm with a vision, though, to turn it into a masterpiece.
In 1907, he added a 600-foot flower walk. In 1913, he enlarged the residence, including a conservatory and expanded living quarters. He also created an open-air theater, later expanded, to bring art and theater into the gardens. From there, he embarked upon an ambitious program of improvements and expansion, adding numerous greenhouses.
Orchid House
Some additions took years to complete. The exhibition hall, completed in 1921, took three years to build, and remains one of the largest greenhouses in the world. Du Pont continued adding new sections to it until 1929. He also took two years to build an Italian Water Garden, modeled after one he had seen in Florence.
And then in 1931, he completed his main fountain garden, with 380 jets that shoot water up to 130 feet in the air, ejecting 10,000 gallons of water each minute. By the late 1930s, the garden was complete, and du Pont enjoyed the fruits of his labor.
Take the time to do something
When visitors wander around the garden, they marvel at its vastness and varied features. At the same time, there are several exhibits that chronicle the history of the gardens, reminding us that this stunning beauty wasn’t created in a day, but rather, through a series of phases that came about through the founder’s original vision.
On this visit, I focused on the historical development of the gardens. I looked at the old pictures of the abandoned and overgrown farm, flipped through the construction photos of the various parts of the garden, and traced how the power of du Pont’s vision and dedication made these gardens what they are today.
Flower Garden Walk
From start to finish, the gardens took over 30 years to complete. Step by step, and project by project, the gardens achieved their current perfection. Moreover, I noticed that du Pont got more ambitious with each project as he went along. For example, his first fountain had a single spout, but he later built one of the most ambitious and spectacular water displays ever created.
To a large extent, the evolution of Longwood Gardens is a metaphor for life. You start with something small or broken. With vision and determination, you build. Over time, one achievement gives way to a larger achievement, creating a virtuous cycle that propels us forward. Be patient, as greatness takes time to achieve.
Pierre du Pont had the reputation of being able and modest. As he was competent in his endeavors, he probably didn’t rush to do things. Rather, he thought things through. And rather than brag about it, or pretend to be someone he wasn’t, he let his actions speak louder than words. These, too, are words to live by.
Challenge and pleasure
In a video on Pierre du Pont’s life, the narrator explains that Longwood Gardens provided the du Pont family “nearly a half century of challenge and pleasure.” I found it interesting how they placed “challenge” and “pleasure” together, suggesting that du Pont did not consider challenge and pleasure to be inconsistent. Rather, tackling challenges created great pleasure for him.
I thought about this as I wandered around the Meadow Garden, an iconic American landscape spanning 86 acres (35 hectares) that showcases native plantings. I hiked the grass and dirt trails, going up and down through the hilly terrain, and got a pretty good workout for myself. The challenge of finishing the hike was a lot of fun, and I felt great about myself after.
Siberian Squill
“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” –John Muir, naturalist and early advocate for the preservation of wilderness in the United States.
We can apply this mindset to the many challenges we face in life. We don’t always have a smooth road and clear direction before us. But if we adjust our attitude, we can make the most of our circumstances, and see a challenge as an opportunity to grow—and to have fun with it.
Stay true to your purpose
Du Pont’s plans for growth and expansion stayed consistent with his purpose of buying the park: to save the trees. He said, “their injury is irreparable, but time and money can repair most other mistakes.” Over time, he added hundreds of other trees, maintaining the arboretum culture as the unifying theme of his garden’s expansion.
This is also a life lesson. As you pursue your own personal growth, there should be a purpose or common theme that keeps you focused and on track. Your purpose is about recognizing your own gifts and using them to contribute to the world. Du Pont had many gifts, but his passion for gardening and preservation gave rise to the gardens we can experience today.
Conifer Knoll
I’m sure du Pont encountered many obstacles as he expanded his garden, but his perseverance motivated him to keep moving forward. He may have said, ”it will all work out…it always does,” which is a common English idiom. It means that things will work out for the best and come to a satisfactory conclusion.
If he can do it, so can you
Now, you’re probably thinking that du Pont came from a rich family and had the resources to create this spectacular display. That may be true, but at the same time, his money is not what created this achievement. His vision and determination brought it about. No matter your stage in life, if you have vision and determination, you, too, can make your mark on the world.
Your history is not your destiny. Even if you come from modest means or have limited education, you can set yourself on a course for success. If you do nothing, you’ll stand still or fall behind, as rarely will we move ahead just by chance. But if you make a plan and follow it forward, you will certainly be better off than where you are now.
My friend, to visit Longwood Gardens is to experience one of the greatest natural spaces in the world—and to witness its evolution from an abandoned arboretum into the spectacular display it is today. Like our own lives, we start with something small. But by being able and modest, having vision and perseverance, we can also leave behind a treasure that will be our legacy.
Photos all taken by John Smagula
{ 今日英文速记卡 }
1.Arboretum
\ ˌär-bə-ˈrē-təm \
a)含义：n. 植物园
b)例句：
i.At the time, the property was an abandoned farm and arboretum slated for destruction.
当时，这处房产是一个废弃的农场和植物园，亟待清理。
ii.For several years, the National Arboretum has been collecting financial donations for an addition to the grounds.
几年的时间里，国家植物园一直在募集财政捐款来扩充场地。
c)近义词： grange, nursery, orangery
2.Embark
\ im-ˈbärk \
a)含义： v. 着手
b)例句：
i.From there, he embarked upon an ambitious program of improvements and expansion, adding numerous greenhouses.
从那时起，他开始着手实现自己雄心勃勃的改建和扩张计划，并添置了许多温室。
ii.And once outside in the fresh air, there are plenty of activities to embark upon.
只要置身室外清新的空气中，就可以从事各种各样的活动。
c)近义词： begin, commence, start
3.Vastness
\ ˈvas(t)-nəs \
a)含义：n. 巨大；广大
b)例句：
i.When visitors wander around the garden, they marvel at its vastness and varied features.
当游客在花园里漫步时，他们惊叹于这里的广阔和各种各样的风景。
ii.Transportation has conquered the vastness of the land.
交通运输已经克服了土地的幅员辽阔。
c)近义词： enormity, immensity, magnitude
4.Dedication
\ ˌde-di-ˈkā-shən \
a)含义：n. 奉献；献身
b)例句：
i.I looked at the old pictures of the abandoned and overgrown farm, flipped through the construction photos of the various parts of the garden, and traced how the power of du Pont’s vision and dedication made these gardens what they are today.
ii.我浏览着那些曾经被废弃而杂草丛生的农场老照片，仔细查着花园各个部分的建筑图景，追溯当年杜邦的远见与付出如何造就了花园今天的模样。
We must praise their courage and dedication.
我们必须赞扬他们的勇气和奉献。
c)近义词： allegiance, commitment, devotion
5.Ambitious
\ am-ˈbi-shəs \
a)含义：adj. 野心勃勃的
b)例句：
i.Moreover, I noticed that du Pont got more ambitious with each project as he went along.
此外，我注意到杜邦在进行每一个项目时都变得更加雄心勃勃。
ii.One advantage of a conglomerate is that it allows the ambitious to graduate from one company to another without leaving the group.
大型联合企业的一个优势就是允许那些雄心勃勃的人不需要离开集团就能在不同的公司任职。
c)近义词： aspiring, enterprising, go-getting
Thank you for watching me to inspire, encourage, and accompany you.
See you next time.
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