RHS appoints Yodel Mobile to boost Grow app downloads
Mon, 25th May 2026 (Today)
App store push
The Royal Horticultural Society has appointed Yodel Mobile to support the expansion of its RHS Grow app in the charity's first partnership with an app marketing agency.
The appointment is part of a wider effort to extend the RHS's reach beyond its gardens and shows and draw more users to its digital services. Yodel Mobile will work to improve the app's visibility in app stores through app store optimisation, helping the charity target younger gardeners, beginners and people across the UK who may not engage with its physical sites.
RHS Grow offers gardening guidance, inspiration and practical advice through a mobile app. The partnership reflects a broader push to make gardening more accessible wherever people live, as the RHS develops its digital strategy alongside its traditional work in horticulture, education and public gardens.
Founded in 1804, the RHS is the UK's largest gardening charity, with more than 600,000 members. It shares horticultural advice through its gardens, events, education programmes, publications and website, while also running campaigns linked to sustainability and school gardening.
For Yodel Mobile, the agreement adds a well-known national institution to its client list. The consultancy, part of NP Digital, specialises in mobile app marketing and says it has worked on more than 2,500 apps since its founding in 2007, including for TUI, UKTV, Global Player and Hinge.
Charity digital shift
The partnership also signals a shift in how the RHS is approaching audience development. Long reliant on its gardens, flower shows and publishing to connect with the public, the charity is now placing greater emphasis on mobile products to reach new demographics, including urban users and younger people.
RHS strategy 2030
The app forms part of the RHS's 2030 Strategy, which aims to widen access to gardening, support more sustainable practices and use science-based approaches to address issues affecting people and nature. Digitally, that means using online tools to reach audiences who may not see gardening as an established part of daily life.
One likely focus is discoverability. Competition in app stores is intense, and charities and membership organisations often face the same challenge as consumer brands in turning recognition into downloads and repeat use. By focusing on organic app store presence rather than paid promotion alone, the RHS appears to be seeking longer-term user growth.
Jamie Meza De Paz, App Marketing Manager at the RHS, outlined the thinking behind the appointment.
"RHS Grow is about opening up gardening to new audiences and showing that it's for everyone, wherever they live," said Jamie Meza De Paz, App Marketing Manager at the RHS.
"It's also important that we extend the reach of the RHS beyond our gardens, helping more people connect with nature and experience the joy of gardening in their everyday lives. We were looking for a partner with a proven track record of delivering measurable results, and Yodel Mobile stood out immediately. Their expertise will help us reach more people and strengthen our app store presence, ensuring even more users can discover and enjoy the app," said Meza De Paz.
The charity's focus on younger and newer gardeners reflects a broader trend across the horticulture sector, where established institutions are trying to connect with audiences shaped by mobile-first habits, smaller living spaces and growing interest in urban and sustainable gardening. Apps have become one way to offer advice and build regular engagement without relying on visits to physical venues.
Yodel Mobile role
That creates an opening for specialist marketing firms focused on app discovery, retention and engagement. Yodel Mobile said its role will centre on strengthening the app's organic position in app stores, which can influence both download volumes and how a product is perceived by prospective users.
Mick Rigby, Chief Executive Officer of Yodel Mobile, said the partnership would support the charity's digital ambitions.
"We're delighted to partner with the RHS, a national institution with such a strong legacy, to help unlock the full potential of the RHS Grow app," said Mick Rigby, Chief Executive Officer of Yodel Mobile.
"This initiative will support the RHS's vision of making gardening accessible for everyone, while strengthening its digital presence for the future," said Rigby.
The RHS has also set out a separate sustainability strategy aimed at making the organisation net positive for nature and people by 2030. Alongside its Planet-Friendly Gardening campaign, the charity has encouraged UK gardeners to respond to climate and biodiversity pressures, adding another dimension to its effort to broaden participation in gardening through digital tools.