I don't think I'd use Golden Elder as a perimeter shrub. It needs a lot of water and grows best in a little bit of shade. Grown in too much sun, the pretty yellowish leaves will scorch, ruining the look.
Have you considered caragana? It's a common shrub, but it's fast growing and tough as nails. There's a reason it was used so frequently on prairie farms. It can be pruned, or left to grow naturally. I understand that hummingbirds like the flowers.
Cotoneaster is another shrub that is commonly used for hedges in a colder zone, and it grows quite quickly. It, too, can be pruned or left to grow in a natural shape. Silver buffalo berry and Russian olive are two others that come to mind that are worth researching.
It sounds like you'd be covering a lot of ground, so make sure the plant(s) you choose are hardy in your area, or it could get expensive! As well, consider whether you have heavy or light soil, whether the plants will grow in sun or shade, what your climate is (rainfall, snow cover, temperatures), how high and wide you'd like the plants to grow, and how much maintenance you're willing to do. There are lots of reference materials on the web and in libraries. One book to start with might be Lois Hole's Favorite Trees and Shrubs.
As for your question about alternating different plants for the perimeter: it's basically a matter of choice and taste. After all, it's your property. Having one type of plant usually looks less "busy" and more uniform (depending on what the rest of your landscape looks like); gaps are more noticeable (if one plant dies), but can easily be filled.
Hope this helps.
