My trip to Canada got off to a rocky (pardon the pun) start - some last-minute jeopardy totally overshadowed my excitement so I arrived with no expectations. But the stars aligned, I made it there, and the trip got under my skin in the best way possible.

Big views, great food and a sense of adventure - I came home with a head full of forests, quiet coastlines, wilderness and memories that still feel oddly vivid. Vancouver Island especially had something magical about it: that mix of wild Pacific drama and small-town calm that helps you slow down without even trying.

The intermittent rain made it even better, making everything smell greener. No matter where you went you could hear water - rivers, waterfalls or the ocean - always moving in the background, surrounded by tall aromatic trees that make the whole place feel huge but comforting.

We don't love stereotypes here at Drift & Root, but Canadians really are that friendly. The bears and mountain lions? Not so much...

Top: Siberian fir needle & Green leaves.
Heart: Deep sea minerals & Moss.
Base: Cedarwood & Vetiver.