Small's Beartongue, also known as Blue Ridge Penstemon is a gorgeous plant growing about 2 feet tall before sending up white to purple tubular blooms to 3 feet tall. Beartongues keep an evergreen rosette through winter making it a lovely groundcover. 
 
It's a joy to watch the bees shove themselves into the flowers. Small's Beartongue is a host plant to the Common Buckeye butterfly. Blooms in May in NC. Beardtongues also attract hummingbirds and butterflies.