I’ve spoken before about my love of gardening.
I guess it’s in the blood. My paternal grandmother was notoriously green fingered — as was my maternal grandfather. He was a really keen gardener and when he died I asked for a couple of rhubarb plants from his garden. I’ve written about the homemade rhubarb cordial that we make with the spoils each year and, this year, we’ve also taken over an allotment.
Even more scope for growing things!
Now, I say ‘I have a love of gardening’ — and that’s true — but if I’m being 100% honest, I rarely do any of the grunty stuff. My boy is head gardener in our household, without question.
He spends hours out there. Growing little plants from seed; tending them until they’re hardy enough to be replanted outside.
Oddly, he’s not normally one for solitude. If he’s left in the house by himself, for any reason, he has to go out. To the pub/shops/for a round of golf; anywhere where there’s other humans and the possibility of a conversation.
So I find it weird that, since my gorgeously gregarious husband has caught the gardening bug, he’s happy in the company of his plants and the local wildlife.
With father’s day coming up in a few week’s time I thought I’d get him something to keep him company whilst he’s digging in the allotment.
Enter the Hepburn Mark II radio by View Quest.
With gorgeous retro styling, this little beauty may look like an old fashioned kind of chap but with DAB, DAB+ and FM radio reception it’s beautifully styled exterior houses the most cutting edge technology.
It means that my green fingered boy will be able to access the full range of digital and analogue services across the UK — and Europe — whether he’s at home or in the allotment. And if he doesn’t have access to the mains, he can also use batteries to power it.
PLUS he can play his own music library, simply by connecting it to the iPad or phone via Bluetooth or with the inbuilt aux-in connection.
I’ve got my own VQ radio that keeps me company whilst I’m working and I absolutely LOVE it.
Mine’s the VQ Retro Mini — in an Emma Bridgewater polkadot print — but I’ve chosen a gorgeous brown leather version for my boy.
The Hepburn Mark II radio is the perfect kind of gift for father’s day! Makes a lovely change from socks — or aftershave — and is such a fab, thoughtful, present (for men of all ages).
It’s available in 11 gorgeous block colours and 5 Emma Bridgewater prints.
You could choose masculine black or antique brown leather — like the one shown here — or even pick British Racing Green or cherry red, to go with their car!
This is a collaborative post but all thoughts, words and images — as ever —
Caro Davies is a former art-director turned writer and content-creator, and editor behind UK lifestyle blog The Listed Home. She writes about home-related topics, from interiors and DIY to food and craft. The Listed Home has been featured in various publications, including Ideal Home, Grazia, and Homes & Antiques magazines.
Well I could give it to my dad, but he has his own so I might just keep it for myself! If I did part with it though, my dad would listen to it while he sat out in the garden catching some rays :) xx
HA! Then I think — if you won — you should keep it for yourself!! Your dad could always listen to it while he’s at your house!! ;)
Davey, my daughters fabulous step dad, would definitely want to use one in the bedroom. And it would be a blue one. When we decorated recently, I made him give up the ugly television, which was on the wall, in favour of some very beautiful fairy pictures! So, he wants a lovely looking radio as a superior substitute to an ugly TV and the Hepburn Mark 11 would fit the bill ??
You are very mean!!! Poor Davey — fancy having to give up his TV for fairy pictures!! ;) XX Good luck lovely!
My Dad would have it on in the living room so he could listen to his favourite talk show it during the day
Good luck Karen! :)
My dad would use this radio in the garden, fab giveaway x
Good luck Rachel — fingers crossed for you!
After a hard year struggling with treatment for prostate cancer, I’d love to see my hubby and amazing father of our six children, Chris, lounging in the gardening, listening to this gorgeous radio.
He more than deserves a bit of garden ‘me time’.
Aaah good luck! :)
I’m pretty sure my hubby would use this everywhere! We are working on the garden at the moment so it’ll be great for that.
It’s such a fab thing to have in the garden! I’ve been listening to my little polkadot radio in the garden today — they’re fantastic! :) Good luck!
He’d take it to his shed at his allotment. He’d be able to sing along to Elvis at the top of his voice without mum rolling her eyes and telling him to be quiet ?
Haha! I love this image! Good luck! :)
My dad used to love listening to the radio – especially old comedies like The Navy Lark and The Goons. However, as he is no longer with us, my partner would love to receive this instead. His radios are all very ugly and nowhere near as stylish as this one. He listens to old comedies too – especially Round The Horn.
Aah my dad was a massive Goons fan too!! SO funny!!! :) Good luck Nadia! x
In the kitchen! :)
Good luck Frank!
Garden
Good luck
My amazing Daddah Glynn Baker would use this fabulous Hepburn Mark II radio everywhere,he is a keen gardener & fisherman….I tend to help him with his gardening now as he has quite a big garden,so we could listen to some music together in the sunshine,while tending to his veggie patch!
I also go fishing with him as I find it so relaxing and often have a draw/paint ; )
He would certainly use it whilst sat beside the lake or on the river bank,oh and then there’s home he would use it on a daily basis to listen to his sport and favourite music.
Thank you for the chance xx
Aah I’ll keep everything crossed for you Isabel :)
My dad would take it to his allotment where he loves spending time in amongst the veggies. He’s there every day apart from winter, sometimes twice a day at weekends. He loves it and only started it up after I took one on 8 years ago and it sparked his interest. Unfortunately I had to give mine up due to becoming unable to look after it due to chronic illness. My dad has never looked back after taking his on, both him and my mom love it, and I’m glad that through me they have both found a hobby that they love ☺️
Aaah what a lovely story — I’m sorry you had to give yours up Sue. Good luck :)
My daughters daddy would use it in his garage I’m sure he would live in it at times!!
Haha! I think a lot of women feel like that — what is it with men and their man-caves?! ;) Good luck!
Hi Caro,
Lovely blog… Your thoughts reminded me very of my hubby! We both love music – him rock n roll, me classical but we meet in the middle somewhere between blues and smooth jazz! He would adore a brown leather VQUK radio as it’s manly!! Perfect for outdoors where we garden together, sit and watch our kids play and take in the good life.
My eldest has the Emma Bridgewater one too and thinks it’s the best! I think this retro vibe is fab because they are so similar to the ones my grandparents all had back in their heyday. Happy memories ?
Good to have found your Listed Home. Look forward to hearing and seeing more!
Ah thanks ever so much Hannah — that’s lovely of you to say! Good luck! :)
This would be great to enjoy music in the garden with my dad :)
Fingers crossed Marian :)
My Hubby/Bitsy’s Dad would use a fab new brown leather VQ radio in his man cave, sorry, I mean garage! He loves to be in there fixing his bike and doing manly garagey things?! I’m sure he’d even take it on a run, ghetto blaster style, given half the chance.
Haha!! Can you imagine — I love the thought of that!!! Good luck Hayley :)
In the garden or doing DIY. Constantly has David Gray blaring so hopefully this will give us a bit kor variety when listening to his tuneless singing lol.
Laura x
Hahaha!! This made me laugh!! Good luck Laura — fingers crossed :)
My dad would use this in his man shed. A place where no one else goes. Who knows what else is in there!
Haha! Perish the thought! Good luck Samantha :)
My dad had a stroke, so he rarely goes out now! But he love to sit in their back garden catching a tan. I bet he would absolutely love to be able to listen to old songs whilst he is sat outside ?.
Aww bless your dad Sharon — fingers crossed you win it for him :)
He’d have it in the shed whilst he’s doing the gardening or chilling on the lounger with a cold beer Xx
Good luck Emma!
When he’s working in his garage
Fingers crossed Zoey!
Man in my life doesn’t listen to radio except in the car. So I’d have to keep it for myself for when I’m writing my bestseller in the shed :)
Aah every girl needs a shed Jax!! AND a radio to keep her company!! Good luck :)
in the shower luv
Good luck!
I’d give it to James, he’d possibly want to use it in the garden too but I think I’d encourage him to put it in the kitchen. We used to have our old iPod in there but it broke and we have no music now, very sad to have no tunes on when you’re cooking! They are lovely aren’t they, I love the colour you’ve gone for xx
They’re SO gorgeous aren’t they? If it had been for me, I’d have chosen the yellow one (funnily enough!) but I figured that the brown was more ‘manly’! Good luck lovely! x
My Dad would listen to it in the garden. He loves pottering around outside
Good luck! Fingers crossed!
Hubby would use this in this man-cave
Good luck Helen :)
My husband would use it in his man cave.
Good luck Melanie!!
Grandad would take it to his new shed (the old shed has been taken over by my brother!) and use it in there X
Aaah good luck Maria :)
I absolutely love it! I can just imagine my Dad pottering away in his shed singing along to classics!
What a great Father’s Day Present.
It’s lovely isn’t it? The VQ radios are gorgeous — I like them even more than my Roberts :)
That is such a handsome radio. My husband would love it!
Good luck lovely! :)
We always have music on in the garden without fail! Usually when my husband is doing DIY and our little girl is trying desperately to help. So I imagine we’d place a radio right on the decking where we can all enjoy it :)
#HomeEtc
It’s such a lovely radio Karen :) I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you!!
My Dad would take this fishing with him and listen to Talk Sport! :) Him Indoors would use it gardening :) #HomeEtc
Aah good luck Sarah!! :)
The Bavarian would listen to it in his “hunting room”, his man cave where he does all his fly tying and keeps all his hobby gear.
It looks and sounds like a fab prize (UK entrants only – sob!)
#HomeEtc
Aaah pet!! So sorry — I should have extended it to Germany! ;)
Ah, that is a lovely radio. My dad would use it in his potting shed, my husband would listen to it while making our new raised beds. Although I love it so much I’d probably keep it and listen to it while I’m gardening! x
I’d go with the third option!! If you win Lizzie, you should keep it for yourself ;)
My Dad would have one for his garage where he spends his days tinkering with engine parts and electronics. My husband would probably have one for the garden too, keep him occupied while he’s chopping the logs for the
Good luck Jo! :)
Down on the local riverbank.
Good luck Andrew :)
I’m not much of a gardener but I love that radio! Great post :)
Thanks so much Medina :)
With my dad’s radio falling apart in the garage. This would make the perfect present. #HomeEtc
Aaah bless your dad! Fingers crossed Helena :)
I think my kids Dad would love to use it when gardening, especially as he has a lot of weeding to do right now!
Good luck Claire! :)
My Dad would enjoy listening to it in his Summer house when he takes a well deserved rest from gardening.
Good luck Sarah :)
Your garden is so beautiful, the perfect backdrop to that lovely radio. I won’t enter the giveaway, as I have my own Hepburn MkII (in gorgeous emerald green) so that would be just greedy – but good luck everyone, they are very special radios!
They’re absolutely gorgeous aren’t they? I think I may love this one even more than my little polkadot one!! :)
The other half would use this in the bedroom…because that’s where I would put it mwahahaha!! This would be the perfect prize because we have a really chunky stereo in the bedroom and where we are decorating, I want a nice sleek new radio! Fingers crossed!
Definitely :) Fingers crossed lovely girl! :)
I find gardening so theraputic and i’m so chuffed we’ve found a new flat with a garden which we’ll be moving into soon, we will both get very green fingered. My grandma is definitely my influence, she still has an allotment and always teaches flower names and nuggets of gardening advice. The radio would be a perfect companion and perfect timing as we move into our new home, eep wish me luck!
Good luck chickie! On all counts — particularly your house move!! :)
This looks like a great idea for a Father’s Day present – I really need to get cracking on that one. Why are men always so difficult to buy for?! Hope your hubby is pleased with his new radio! #HomeEtc
Aaah it’s gorgeous isn’t it? Funnily enough, I’ve always found it easy to buy things for my boy! My mum — and my sister on the other hand!!! Nightmare!! ;)
Thanks for hosting #Home Etc lovely – this radio is a beauty :) Gorgeous, and your garden is too xx
Aww thanks so much pet! :)