You could also choose the lower-growing Penstemon eatonii, commonly known as the firecracker. This variety has a slightly more shrubby habit, growing up to 3 feet tall in hardiness zones 4 through 8.

A low-growing perennial that favors sandy washes and dunes, the white-margined penstemon has pretty pink flowers and leaves with white margins. It is threatened with extinction by urban sprawl, energy ...