Geranium cinereum ‘Ballerina’
A charming, compact perennial with striking pink blooms and fine silvery foliage, perfect for rockeries and front-of-border planting
Overview
Geranium cinereum ‘Ballerina’ is a delightful dwarf perennial that’s ideal for small gardens, rockeries, and containers. Known for its compact growth, silvery foliage and vibrant flowers, this hardy geranium is an easy-to-grow, long-flowering plant that will brighten up any sunny spot. It’s low-maintenance and ideal for gardeners who want reliable colour and texture from late spring into summer.
Key Features
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Height: 0.1–0.5m (0.3-1.5 ft)
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Spread: 0.1–0.5m (0.3-1.5 ft)
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Flowering Time: Late spring to mid-summer (May to August), with occasional repeat flowering
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Position: Prefers full sun but tolerates partial shade
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Soil: Well-drained, moderately fertile soil; ideal for sandy or gritty conditions
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Hardiness: Fully hardy in UK zones H5–H6 (–10°C to –20°C)
Flowers and Foliage
‘Ballerina’ produces a mass of saucer-shaped flowers in pale pink with deep purple veining and a dark magenta centre, creating a bold yet delicate appearance. These vibrant blooms contrast beautifully against the neat mound of finely divided, grey-green to silvery leaves, which are attractive even when the plant is not in flower. The foliage forms a low, spreading clump, making it ideal for ground cover.
Garden Uses
This variety is particularly well-suited to rock gardens, alpine beds, containers, and the front of sunny borders. Its low-growing habit also makes it a useful edging plant or a lovely filler for gaps between paving stones and in gravel gardens. It pairs well with other sun-loving perennials such as salvia, thyme, campanula, and low-growing sedums.
Wildlife Benefits
The flowers of Geranium cinereum ‘Ballerina’ are attractive to bees and other pollinating insects, providing a nectar source during the late spring and early summer months. Its compact growth also offers shelter for beneficial insects at ground level.
Care and Maintenance
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Watering: Water regularly when first planted; established plants are moderately drought-tolerant
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Deadheading: Remove spent flowers to encourage further blooming and maintain a tidy appearance
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Feeding: Feed lightly in spring with a balanced fertiliser if desired
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Pruning: Remove flowered stems and old leaves to encourage the production of fresh leaves and flowers
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Dividing: Divide clumps every few years in early spring or autumn to rejuvenate and propagate
Summary
Geranium cinereum ‘Ballerina’ is a beautifully compact and colourful perennial that fits effortlessly into rockeries, borders, and containers. With its long-lasting pink blooms, elegant foliage, and ease of care, it’s a superb choice for gardeners of all experience levels. Hardy, neat, and pollinator-friendly, ‘Ballerina’ delivers charm and reliability in even the smallest of garden spaces.
Buying Perennials from Jacksons Nurseries
At Jacksons Nurseries we lightly trim back our perennials after flowering and trim them back at the end of the season to ensure that the plants remain neat and tidy whilst in the pot. The more tender the plant the less we cut back to help protect exposed stems from winter frost. Depending on the plant variety we will then prune back further in spring once the risk of the more severe frosts is over.
As a result, depending on the time of year you buy perennials, they may not look like images showing their ‘prime time’ in flower and looking at their best.
From late autumn onwards and dependent on variety, there may be very little visible above the soil except for a few cut back dormant leaves or stems. It is perfectly normal for dormant plants to look like this from autumn onwards, they will however burst back into life in spring.
Availability: Stock availability figures are provided as a guide only. There is a delay between orders being placed and the plants being gathered by our pulling team. During this time it may be possible for a member of the public to purchase these plants from our Garden Centre, while this is rare it is a possibility and we will notify you of any problems as soon as possible. This figure may also include plants that have not yet be flagged as unsaleable.
Pre-order: Pre-order times are given as a guide only and may vary dependent on the growing season. Orders containing Pre-ordered products will be shipped as a single order when all items become available. Large orders may be part shipped, please contact us on 01782 502741 or email sales@jacksonsnurseries.co.uk.
Perennials are described and classified differently by different gardeners but all would agree that they are plants that come into flower every year from early spring to late summer, the exact time dependent on variety and most die back to ground level in autumn and winter.
As for all plants, soil preparation is time well spent. Dig over the area to be planted ensuring that the ground is free draining. If not then you may wish to either consider planting in a different spot or raising the level of the planting area by adding additional topsoil, well rotted garden compost and/or well rotted manure. Add ‘Fish, Blood and Bone’ fertiliser or a high potash fertiliser to encourage good root growth and development.
It’s always a good idea to plant a few of the same plant together, we recommend planting in 3’s or 5’s to provide a bold effect but allowing them plenty of room to develop.
Always check eventual plant heights when planning borders to ensure that the taller plants are at the back (or at the centre of an island bed) followed by the medium and then smaller low growing plants.
Remember to deadhead perennials after flowering, trim back lightly in autumn as required to tidy the border and if necessary trim again in spring once the risk of heavy frost has passed.
If perennials get too big, start to flower less and less or if it seems to be dying off from the centre, consider dividing the plant but always check that the particular variety is happy to be divided and that you divide at the right time of year for the plant.
By using this simple guide and a little time, perennials can make an absolutely spectacular difference to your garden.
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