Bird cherry (Prunus padus) blossom has fragrant flowers which smell like almonds and look a bit like large bottle brushes.  Many insects love the pollen and birds enjoy the tiny bitter black cherries.  It grows mainly in the north of Britain and in parts of Scotland the wood would not be used as it was called the witches’ tree yet traditionally a bird cherry walking stick supposedly prevented the user from getting lost in the mist. The bark smells very unpleasant when peeled off so was placed on doors to ward off the plague and dispel evil.