I should have said, I'm going for a look something like this:

{{gwi:871976}}

thanks again...Mark

I don't know where my head is at today. I'm not in 8b, I'm in 7a.

Sorry about that.

this answer is probably WAY too late, but i'd say try erica darleyensis. that's what i have here in hot, humid north carolina. it does well here.

While not as colorful, you could try some of the Ephedras. They have whipcord twigs and fleeting crops of red berries.
Some have a good blue green aspect. They are slow but sure from seed.
There are many dwarf great plains natives that would be very colorful and more certain of success. I'm thinking Opuntias and mat forming composites. Claude Barr named some of the better forms of these natives. Scott Ogden has written some good books covering Texas plants and soils.