The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) was founded in 1804 in London, England, as the Horticultural Society of London, and gained its present name in a Royal Charter granted in 1861. The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK's leading gardening charity and claims to be "the world’s largest gardening charity". The RHS quotes its charitable purpose as "The encouragement and improvement of the science, art and practice of horticulture in all its branches".