A Fall Getaway in Etna, California: Oaks, Deer and Gardens

String lights strung through a fall oak at Blossom Sanctuary, a private garden retreat in Etna, California

Fall arrives at Blossom Sanctuary slowly, and then all at once. The light drops lower each afternoon, the oaks start to turn at the edges, and the lawn fills with leaves faster than anyone can rake them. We walked the house and grounds this week with a camera. Here is what October looks like.

The oaks turn gold

The house sits on 4.2 acres of oaks, pines and gardens just outside Etna, and in October the oaks steal the show. The leaves go from green to gold to copper, a few trees at a time, while the pines stay dark behind them. The hammock is still strung between two trunks. On a warm afternoon it is the best seat on the property, and the leaves come down around you like slow confetti.

Oaks turning gold and copper in October on the grounds of Blossom Sanctuary in Etna, California

Deer on the lawn

The deer are the real locals here. A small herd moves through the property most days: young bucks, does and their fawns, usually two to six at a time and sometimes as many as twelve. They come for the clover in the lawn and the acorns under the oaks, and they are easiest to spot in the early morning and at dusk.

Their year runs on a steady calendar. Fawns are born in late May and June and spend the summer in spotted coats, close to their mothers. By fall the spots have faded and the young ones graze on their own. November and early December bring the rut, when the bucks follow the does and spar with each other. The bucks drop their antlers between January and March and grow new ones from April through August, so a spring or summer visit may find them in velvet.

A few house rules for sharing the place with them. Watch from a distance and keep your voice low. Please do not feed them: feeding deer is against California law, and once they learn about apples they will not leave you alone. And always close the garden gates behind you. The fence is all that keeps the deer from eating the plants that shelter our inner garden and its quiet spots for meditation and rest.

Deer grazing on the lawn beside the blue house under a large oak at Blossom Sanctuary in Etna, California, with mountains beyond

A new look for the queen room

The second bedroom has a fresh look: a black iron queen bed under a sheer canopy, an orange velvet pillow, green velvet curtains, a brass lamp and a tall mirror. The writing desk sits by the windows, looking out at the oaks.

Writing desk by the windows in the queen bedroom at Blossom Sanctuary, looking out at the oaks

Evenings under the oaks

White chairs wait on the garden terraces under the oaks. Fall evenings here are cool and clear, so bring a sweater, pour something warm, and stay out for the first stars. When the chill wins, the wood stove is waiting inside.

White chairs on the garden terraces under the oaks at Blossom Sanctuary in Etna, California

Still blooming

The garden is not done yet. Blanket flowers are still opening in orange and red. In early summer the garden fills with foxgloves and daisies, so if you fall for the place this October, plan a second visit when they bloom.

Pink foxgloves in early summer in front of the garden loungers under the oaks at Blossom Sanctuary in Etna, California — The same garden in early summer, when the foxgloves bloom.

Good to know

The oaks usually peak in the second half of October. Our fall color guide has the drives and the timing.
EV charging is included with every stay, and Main Street is less than five minutes away.
Nights drop fast in fall. Pack layers for the porch and the stars.

See open dates and prices for a fall stay at Blossom Sanctuary. And join the Orbit for letters from the house each week or month, with a welcome gift of 20% off your first stay booked on our website.

Fall at Blossom Sanctuary: a walk around the house and grounds