Our story
About Rue & Raven
Thoughtful technology. A little curiosity. A lot of heart.
Every garden has a story. So does ours.
Rue & Raven began with a simple idea: What if learning to garden felt a little less intimidating and a lot more like having a friend beside you?
When I started gardening, I quickly discovered how much I didn't know.
There were seeds to start, soil to understand, plants that thrived, and others that seemed determined to do exactly the opposite of what I expected. Every answer seemed to lead to three more questions.
I loved learning, but I also found myself searching through articles, checking planting dates, trying to remember what I'd done the week before, and piecing together advice that didn't always apply to my own garden.
I didn't need another complicated system. I needed somewhere I could ask questions, keep track of what I was learning, and pick up where I'd left off.
That idea eventually became Rue.
Meet Rue. Your friend in the garden.
Rue is a thoughtful, AI-powered gardening companion designed to help you learn, care for your plants, and grow more confident along the way.
You can ask Rue a question, share a photograph, record what's happening in your garden, and keep track of the plants you're growing.
But what makes Rue different is the connection between those experiences.
Your plants, observations, conversations, and garden history belong together. You shouldn't have to explain your entire garden every time you have a question.
Whether you're growing tomatoes in a raised bed, herbs on a windowsill, or flowers in a few containers, Rue is designed to meet you where you are.
No perfect garden required. No experience necessary.
Just curiosity and a place where something can grow.
A different kind of gardening companion
We believe gardening should be something you enjoy, not another thing you're afraid of getting wrong.
That's why Rue is built around a few simple beliefs.
Every question deserves a thoughtful answer.
There are no silly gardening questions. Everyone starts somewhere, and even experienced gardeners are always learning.
Your garden is uniquely yours.
General advice is helpful, but your plants, growing conditions, preferences, and experiences matter too.
Progress matters more than perfection.
A failed seedling can teach you just as much as a successful harvest. Sometimes more.
Technology should help you spend more time in your garden, not less.
Rue is here to help you understand what you're seeing, remember what matters, and feel more confident making decisions for yourself.
Because the goal isn't to become dependent on Rue.
It's to become a more confident gardener.
The person behind Rue & Raven
I'm Mackenzie, the founder of Rue & Raven.
My background is in business, finance, operations, and real estate. I didn't come from a horticulture or software development background.
I started gardening because I wanted to create something beautiful and meaningful in my own backyard. What I didn't expect was how much I would enjoy the process of learning, experimenting, making mistakes, and trying again.
That curiosity eventually led me back to the classroom to study plant science, and then down an entirely different path: building a gardening companion that could make the experience more approachable for other people.
Rue began as a personal project in North Carolina in the summer of 2026. What started as an idea has grown into a working product shaped by conversations with gardeners, their experiences, and their feedback.
I'm still learning, too. And I think that's part of what makes this journey so interesting.
Growing together
Rue is still growing.
We're developing and refining the experience with the help of early gardeners who are willing to explore, ask questions, share feedback, and tell us when something could be better.
Their experiences help us understand what works, what needs improvement, and what truly makes gardening easier.
Our hope is that Rue becomes more than a place to find answers.
We want it to be a place where your garden's history stays connected, your curiosity is encouraged, and you can recognize just how much you've learned along the way.
Because every garden has two kinds of growth: what's happening in the soil, and what's happening in the gardener.
And both are worth remembering.
Come grow with us.
Rue is preparing for launch, and we'd love for you to be part of what comes next.
Rue & Raven
Your friend in the garden.