Folly Farm Nature Preserve is Safety Harbor’s newest city park, having opened to the public in 2019. Its ten-acre setting includes a butterfly garden, a labyrinth path, a playground and dozens of fruit trees that are available for the public to pick when ripe. A circular path winds around the grounds and passes through distinct ecosystems. In addition to the work of city staff, residents have contributed their time and talents to the park.
Common Ground, a community garden association, rents space from the city for their members to grow food. Julie Brannon, a contributor to this publication and head of the not-for-profit garden group, gave me a tour of the garden and the larger property and plants. She shared its history and connected me with its benefactor, George Weiss.