Folly Farm Nature Preserve — Attraction in Safety Harbor

Folly Farm Nature Preserve: Anything but Folly!

We were in Safety Harbor for the Hippie Dash road race to benefit Goodwill Industries. This was our third trip to town but I only learned about Folly Farm Nature Preserve from doing some sightseeing research. We visited on Mother's Day morning and practically had the entire park to ourselves. What a sanctuary!

We learned the history of the preserve from a helpful worker who explained that George and Lucille Weiss purchased the property, developed it and then bequeathed it to the city. Until his death in 2023, George continued to visit the farm regularly and sit in his favorite chair in George's Garden. George named the preserve after friends called his hobby of growing chickens a "folly." The preserve is anything but. He was beloved by all.

We spent about an hour strolling the grounds and taking one of the paths around the perimeter. The local garden club takes excellent care of the park and we noticed new trees they planted. Whimsical touches make this a favorite for all ages: Gnomeo, the 17' tall gnome takes center stage. Many plants native to Florida are carefully marked. We are newer residents and enjoyed learning about native plants. Children were enjoying the playground; picnic tables are available along with clean restrooms. The Butterfly Garden is another focal point.

One of the most poignant features of the preserve is the "wind phone" patterned after the one in Otsuchi, Japan. The rotary phone encourages those grieving to 'call' their loved ones. "I can't hear him. It's just me talking, but he heard me so I can keep on living," said one Japanese resident of the wind phone and her way of coping. The concept is for words and thoughts to be carried on the wind. Folly Farms wind phone is set in its own private booth.

On the second Saturday of the month, a “Folly Faire” is held with vendors and activities.

The farm also has a community garden where locals grow their own food in their private spaces. We were able to see two juvenile red-shouldered hawks high in a palm tree. The attendant has observed the parents bringing snakes to them.

Safety Harbor is so fortunate to have a quiet oasis...

A group of us attended the Enchanted Garden Fest last weekend which was highly publicized so we were excited. It was a MESS! It was not organized by any single group or person.

Parking (for an event where guests can purchase large plants) was not advertised as requiring a shuttle ride to a "far-away" parking lot. The shuttle took forever to come back to take guests back to their vehicles. The shuttle was dangerously close to hitting cars on the road down every street and every turn. I was worried about the kids and people walking. In addition, on the route back to the "far-away" parking lot we took a completely different route miles longer than the route TO the festival. The driver did not notify us of this which caused concern. AND (this tops it off!) the bus driver dropped us off 2 blocks from the parking lot, including the 2 disabled persons on the bus! Why? Also, that "far-away" parking lot was a patch of grass in which staff guided patrons to park in curvy rows that left some cars blocked in. Unbelievable disorganization! Sales from vendors were limited due to the inability to easily carry purchases of trees and large plants back to your private vehicle. This is a concern for the vendors!

There were no public restrooms available! There was one restroom with 2 stalls (in the women's restroom) that a large group of employees took over with their fairy costumes, street clothes, shoes, and makeup scattered everywhere and the door was blocked. Employees throughout the festival told us that this was the ONE restroom for the public...? We asked other employees since a long line of guests were blocked from using the restroom but that was the only one.

In summary there was a festival happening here with no public restroom available and no quick or easy way back to your vehicle. NONE of this was advertised! We will never return, as this organization clearly lacks the ability to be respectful of guests or...

This is a hidden gem of a place! So majestic and full of wonder and beauty. Every corner you turn there’s more and more little gnomes all around the property! I had to take my twins here when my friend recommended it. Thomas Dambo, an imaginative artist from Denmark, turns discarded materials into giant troll sculptures that invite exploration and wonder. Hidden in natural landscapes, his works aren’t just whimsical— they remind us that waste can become art, and that rediscovering nature can start with a tale etched in wood. And what are the odds that one was built right in my backyard? So when I heard one of these wooden sculptures was super close to me, I had to check it out for myself. This place is so exquisite, I left little momentums around the gardens to give back to nature for what it’s given to me and my kids— magic. 🧚🏼🧌💚

There’s a small playground for kids, a little library to give and take books, I always leave journals because who doesn’t love journals? And by the time we left the preserve both journals I left were taken, so I left one more for someone who may want it :) there’s a butterfly labyrinth, a garden, a gazebo, a bunch of benches and tree stumps to sit on, the wind phone, which actually has a story behind it, it’s to communicate with the deceased from the 2011 earthquake that hit Japan. Which I find to be very beautiful in a way, to display a piece of history like that. You learn so much here, and the staff is very helpful when it comes to plants and any other questions you have about the farm. Definitely recommend this for all ages! It’s free too! You definitely can get lost here for hours, there’s so much to discover and I’ll definitely be back to explore more with my...