TAUNTON Deane MP Rebecca Pow has revealed she talks to her plants as a way of easing the grief of coming to terms with her husband's death.

Ms Pow, who is Minister for nature recovery and the domestic environment, told the Chopper's Politics podcast the first thing she does when she gets home is to check on her plants.

Sadly, her husband, Charles Clark, an auctioneer and valuer with Greenslade Taylor Hunt and chairman of Somerset County Cricket Club, died from cancer in June 2019, six months before she won her third term in Parliament.

Ms Pow told the podcast: "My husband very sadly died.

"I do find myself at home a bit by myself.

"And I do actually talk to my plants because when I get home, no one's watered them.

"So, the first thing I usually do when I get in is water my plants, check how they are."

She added: "I honestly think there is a massively therapeutic angle to plants in just communicating with nature as a whole."

She expressed her admiration for Prince Charles, who famously told in 1986 how he believes talking to his plants helps them grow.

He said: "I just come and talk to the plants really - very important to talk to them. They respond."

More recently he said he thinks it is "absolutely crucial to also listen to his plants and trees.

And he is known to shake hands with each tree he plants.