Bergenia ‘Ballawley’

An outstanding hybrid originating from Ballawley Park in Co. Dublin. Its nomenclature is quite confusing, having been named B. 'Delbees' by Mr Shaw Smith of Ballawley Nurseries, then later renamed as B. 'Ballawley Hybrid' in 1952, and distributed by the Slieve Donard Nursery as such. It is now simply listed as B. 'Ballawley'.

It has impressive, large, leathery, glossy, dark green, ovate leaves with a slightly toothed margin and shallowly depressed, contrasting veins. In autumn, the leaves turn a vibrant crimson red. In spring, magenta-pink flowers open from dark red calyces atop nodding, branching stems. A superb ground cover plant, also well suited to container growing.

Likely to be a cross between B. x beesiana (B. x smithii) and B. delavayi (probably B. purpurascens). Peter Yeo has suggested B. ciliata may be in its parentage too.