Box Office Botany Emerald Fennell’s version of Wuthering Heights debuted as the #1 movie globally, but it’s done more than rekindle interest in Emily Brontë’s gothic novel. It’s triggered all kinds of interest in the brooding landscape of England’s moors. Searches for Yorkshire Dales National Park, which provided some of the lush scenery, have soared. And for those wondering if they can turn their yards into heather-dotted fields to romp in, the answer is yes: Calluna vulgaris can take root in zones 4-7 (find your zone here). So go ahead and replicate the landscape, but maybe not the tortured Heathcliff-Cathy romance.

While we’re on the topic of England, look what’s winning the 2026 plant popularity contest.  The U,K.’s Ideal Home claims that the lowly cabbage will be a hot commodity in gardens this year. Cabbages are trendy in decorating, according to the latest Pinterest Predicts report, so they’re set to move outdoors. Pretty, easy to grow, and low maintenance: What’s not to love? Try them in your vegetable patch or as an edible ornamental border.

You know what else is really, really popular in realm of edible plants? Beans. Rancho Gordo Beans, an heirloom legume company, was founded by Steve Sando, dubbed the “most famous bean fan” by The Wall Street Journal. He started growing the nutritious legume in his Napa Valley garden to celebrate Northern California agriculture. He now sells 2.5 million pounds per year of humble-yet-glorious beauties such as the purple-speckled Jacob’s Cattle Bean and the glossy ebony Chiapas Black Bean. For true bean nerds, there’s even a Rancho Gordo Bean Club, with quarterly deliveries of quirky beans. Sound like a club you’d want to join? Alas, there’s a wait list of nearly 30,000 names ahead of you. While you wait, get a new Rancho Gordo bean recipe daily here.

Speaking of the waiting game: If you’ve been spending time in your yard by the fire pit while praying for spring to arrive, heed this: Save the ashes left in your fire pit (or fireplace or wood stove) and use it (once the snow is gone) to ramp up root growth and flowering of spring bulbs, among other plants. Wood ash is chockablock with many nutrients that can help your garden grow, including calcium, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus. Sprinkle ash over soil or mix into compost. Just steer clear of acid-loving plants such as blueberries, rhododendrons, and azaleas; the ash contains enough calcium to raise the pH of soil.

Let us leave you with an amazing insight into the world of secret plant signals. A recent study uncovered how greenery can communicate. In fact, when stressed, vegetation can send signals to its community. Physical contact among plants helps them withstand intense light, an increasing concern as climates warm up. Says researcher Ron Miller, “If you…stress one plant, it will send a signal to all the other plants that it touches, and they all become more tolerant.” Quite the lesson in teamwork.