A NEW book full of bedtime stories for plants has been launched for people who chat to their leafy friends.

Prince Charles is among the most high-profile nature natterers with many believing it aids plant growth and botanical development.

A study by the Royal Horticultural Society found speaking to plants could positively affect their growth.

SpareRoom has now created one of the first ever pieces of literature for plants, making it easy for people to give their plants a daily dose of vocal encouragement.

Bedtime Stories for Plants, written by children’s author Alice Hemming and illustrated by Livi Gosling, includes a collection of three short stories entitled ‘The Three Ferns’, ‘Longing’ and ‘What Goes Around’.

The stories are designed to be read aloud to plants and can be downloaded for free from SpareRoom as an eBook or audiobook.

It’s not just houseplants that could benefit from having the bedtime stories read aloud to them. Communicating with nature could also improve the reader’s mental health, with some people finding that regular reading sessions with plants can help fight anxiety.

And, with one in five flatsharers already chatting to their plants, this could be a helping hand for both nature and humans alike.

Angela Slater, plant expert and gardening blogger, said: “Talking to your plants is not only beneficial to their health but also your own mental well-being.

"If you’re stuck for something to say and think that you’re going to feel a bit of an idiot, then these stories are just the thing to get you started.”