My mom has a cutleaf Golden Elder (Sambucus racemosa Sutherland Gold) right in front of her south facing house. It gets blazing sun all day long and is gorgeous. It can (and has been) cut right to ground level in spring. It can also be easily trimmed mid-season if not pruned back earlier, and can be trimmed so that it doesn't even look like it's been cut back (I just did hers a couple of weeks ago). It does have the potential to get pretty big though (I think 12'). I like hers so much I planted one myself this year.

In front of my south facing house I have some non-suckering lilacs that do exceptionally well, a Mohican Viburnum that's still young but weathering this summer's blasting heat with no trouble, and a highbush Cranberry. They'll get a deep drink once thru the summer if it's been a dry one (like this year) and then another just before freeze up if no fall rains.

I don't know if how any of these would weather Calgary's chinooks. Alas, when we freeze up we stay that way until spring.

Potentila? Hedge cotoneaster? Globe caragana? I have these against the south of the house. Of course, most shrubs do appreciate supplemental watering with the hose, especially against the house where the rain doesn't fall.

In addition to being dry and sunny, I know right against the house the snowcover is the first to melt in spring or during warm spells. Just another thing to keep in mind. For this reason, as you said, you want something very hardy and fuss free.

Conifers probably aren't a good idea. Junipers like hot and dry, but if you plant any type of conifer you may have to winter wrap, especially if they are against the house. You probably have to provide supplemental watering as well, during the summer right into freeze up.

Glen

Thanks very much for the responses!

One unanswered question - if I plant it now, is it too late in the season for it to establish before winter? Or is that very much a "wait and see" type of question?

If you buy them at a nursery they will be growing in pots, just tip them out and plant them. They should do fine if you plant them now. Just remember to water them deeply a few times this year before freezeup.

Brenda

Brenda is right, anything grown in pots will winter fine. I am planning on getting a few more shrubs myself now. How tall of a shrub are you looking for? I have some spireas planted on the west side and they do great.
Shelley

We ended up buying one Golden Elder and one "Rennaissance" Spirea. They're wee right now but I'm hoping that by planting them this year they'll do better next year!

Oh yeah, that Spirea will look real good next year. I find they grow quite quickly in our weather.