Bugeye in Bloom the Sprite of Spring; A Love Story on Wheels

1961 Austin Healy Sprite

A Cherished Family Heirloom

The Bugeye has been a member of our family for over six decades. My mom received this car as a gift from her father when she turned 16 in 1971. The Bugeye Sprite, with its distinctive "frogeye" headlamps and compact design, quickly became a symbol of FREEDOM and adventure for her.

It was the late 70s when the Bugeye played a pivotal role in a couple of hippies' love story that would span generations. My mom often drove her adorable car around Mountlake Terrace, and it was during one of these outings that she noticed a familiar car—a Bugeye Sprite—at a 76 gas station. Intrigued, she pulled in and met the young mechanic who owned it: my dad, Bob Herold. The two quickly bonded over their mutual love for the iconic car. As the story goes, my mom decided she had to marry this mechanic to ensure her beloved Bugeye Sprite would always be in good hands. Which happened to be a good call because now, instead of a British engine, she rocks a Toyota Starlet engine to make her Sprite more reliable. And so, their romance blossomed, cementing both their love and the car's place in our family's history.

My husband and I are continuing this tradition of love and care in our own way. My husband, Mykel Sundby, also an auto repair mechanic, now owns my dad’s old Bugeye Sprite, which is currently a project car. Soon it will join my mom's cherished Sprite at future car shows. Meanwhile, I brought my passion for flowers to this unique project, transforming my mom’s beloved vehicle into a floral art installation adorned with local seasonal flowers from Stilly Valley flower farmers. It's a vibrant celebration of our family history, combining my mom's cherished car with the beauty of the blooms grown here in the Stilly Valley.

This installation not only showcased our shared love for the Bugeye Sprite but also honors the legacy of our ancestors who worked the land as farmers. It's a tribute to the enduring bond between a car, a couple, and a family. As we decked the Bugeye Sprite with these 100% Stilly Valley-grown flowers, we invite you to take a step back in time and appreciate a piece of our family's history—a history that continues to blossom with each passing year.

The dream of transforming my mom’s cherished 1961 Bugeye Sprite into a floral masterpiece became a reality with the help of some incredible local flower farms. The "Bugeye in Bloom: The Sprite of Spring" was brought to life thanks to the generous donations and hard work of Gritty Acres, Flourish Organic Farms, Sustainable Blooms at Garden Treasures, All Things Blooming Flower Farm, and Arlington Flower Farm.

Our floral installation featured 100% Locally Grown Seasonal Blooms from the Stilly Valley and that's a beautiful thing!

- Patricia’s Fragrant Garden Roses; Adding a beautiful fragrance of roses that you just can't find anywhere else.

- Anemone from Kari at Flourish; Providing delicate and an elegant touch.

- Foxglove and Bachelor Buttons from Lauren at Gritty Acres; Bringing that nostalgic feel with pops of Blue.

-Ranunculus from Kristen at All Things Blooming; Those lush, layered petals in so many cheerful colors.

- Pieris, Alchemilla (Lady's Mantle), and Honeysuckle from Freedom Flowers: These were especially nostalgic and meaningful, as the Honeysuckle was saved from my mom’s childhood home in Mountlake Terrace where she first got the car. The honeysuckle, now growing in my garden and my mom’s garden, draped over the car ever so fragrantly, always bringing us back in time.

-Stock from Mary Pat at Arlington Flower Farm: The best Stock I've ever worked with, adding fullness, and that spicey fragrance we love so much.

A Community Effort

A special thanks goes to Lauren Marie Photography for capturing these stunning photos, and for her key eye for design and help with the installation. The expertise and hands-on experience from Lauren pictured above, of Gritty Acres were invaluable. The way she confidently rolled that moss up into the chicken wire and placed the multitude of beautiful stems we had to work with, turned the Bugeye into an absolute masterpiece that made so many people smile!

Make sure to check out her Farmstand out on Jim Creek Road. She is an incredible grower and designer!

This project was a true community effort and a day I will never forget. The "Bugeye in Bloom" not only celebrated our family’s history but also highlights the incredible talent and generosity of our local flower farmers of The Floral Current We hope you enjoyed this unique blend of automotive history and floral artistry and thank you for sharing in our celebration of love, heritage, and the timeless charm of the 1961 Austin-Healey Bugeye Sprite!

Ways to support our farm and Collectives we are part of; The Snohomish County Flower Collective and The Floral Current a collective of Stilly Valley Flower Farmers:

🌸 Visit the Outpost & Little Free Seed Library on Happy Valley Road for Mason Jar Bouquets, Seed Swapping & More

🌸DIY Event Buckets

🌸Book the Outpost to Popup at your Event or Shower (DIY Bouquet Bar/Flower Crown Playshops & More)

🌸Saturdays at The Arlington Farmers Market at Legion Memorial Park in Downtown Arlington from 10-2PM

🌸Thursday at The Snohomish County Flower Collective Market at Fleurs Creative Studio in Historic Downtown Snohomish from 7-12PM

Thanks Flower Friends!

Stay Free & Bloom Wildly

-Tracy