i cant see your location

I'm near Vancouver BC, zone 8b

Not sure why it isn't showing up next to my name... I have filled in "Climate Zone for Garden Forums" under "Advanced Settings" in my Houzz profile

Heaths and heathers could work.....with annual pruning (some get quite large and annual pruning will keep them dense and 'cushiony'). Iberis sempervirens could also work. My favorite shrub for this purpose is Pieris japonica 'Cavatine' or 'Prelude' - dwarf cultvars that make tight, dense mounds of around 2', possibly larger with significant time. Gorgeous deep green, very tidy foliage.

Most hebes on offer here will get considerably larger than 2'........and tend to not be very dense as they age. The exception is Hebe 'Emerald Gem' (syn 'McKeanii').

Consider that below 2' is getting to the height range that is more likely to be fulfilled by a dense patch of groundcover or perennial. Most shrubs just don't want to stop growing at that height.

But many do. There's a wealth to choose from. Even more if you include sub shrubs.

What are some examples of below-2'-shrubs besides the aforementioned heaths/heathers?

check this link:

Germander fits your requirements.

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=f910

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=germander+as+a+hedge&FORM=HDRSC2

Evergreen perennials are fine too Yardvaark, if you want to recommend any.

" What are some examples of below-2'-shrubs besides the aforementioned heaths/heathers? "

The pieris I mentioned, a few hebes, Rhododendron impeditum, Iberis sempervirens, Helianthemum nummularia, Lonicera nitida 'Twiggy', Lonicera pileata, Prostanthera cuneata, true dwarf English box, Vaccinium moupinense, Ilex crenata 'Helleri', Ilex crenata 'Lemon Gem', various dwarf rhododendons and azaleas, 'Harbor Dwarf' nandina, dwarf abelia, Daphne 'Lawrence Crocker', some cultivars of Salvia officinalis and lavender, various dwarf conifers, etc., etc., ..........and a bunch of deciduous stuff if you want to include those.

Some of these can exceed 2' in time. But not in any big hurry and are very manageable at the two foot limit with the occasional pruning.

thymes, prostrate rosemary, kabischa saxifrages, androsace, daphne cneorum dwarf lavenders, teucrium nierembergia, a large number of sedums and sempervivums, perennial wallflowers, haworthia, dianthus armeria

That was my point ... that many of those get larger than 2' in time. 'Helleri' Holly and some of the others can become several feet huge.

I think the OP should actually show a picture of the spot this is needed for, including surroundings, and get recommendations based on that. Otherwise, it's a lot of guessing in the dark.

If the goal is not to have any trimming maintenance ... forget it. That's almost not possible where spaces are limited. But it's easily possible to minimize the trimming. So getting a shrub/groundcover/perennial that falls in the acceptable range, is possible. Consider that of the latter categories (groundcover and perennial) there do come heights that are not exceeded, whereas shrubs keep going, even if very slowly.

Many can become wide....but very few will get much taller or of they do, take many years to achieve much height.

The restricting condition the OP stated : " Grows to 2 feet tall or shorter, or can be kept that way without constant clipping " fits all the plants that I have listed. At most, some may need an annual trim. Not "constant clipping"!!

Genista tinctoria 'Humifusus', Genista 'Lydia', Cytisus procumbens, Gaultheria, Arctostyphylos, various Daphnes ...

The kind of dense growth I dream of:

Dianthus simulans...somehow I suspect it wouldn't look like that for me, although if I ever see it locally I will try it.

Thank you for all the recommendations everyone! This kind of knowledge isn't easy to find by googling. When I have some more time I am going to enjoy looking them all up for photos.

edit: I should add, gardengal48's comment about trimming is right: I am totally cool with trimming once or twice a year, just not topiary-like clipping every week or two.

Thuja occidentalis 'Mossy'

There are a whole bunch of low growing Dianthus that have that type of dense growth when grown in well drained soil. Some like Firewitch have frosty or blue green foliage, but there are others with various shades of dark green. Mine are fine as long as voles don’t get to them. Thymes can also have that tidy, dense growth.

forgot anagallis tenella