When you move it, Gg, I think that you should have a look at the rootball. Just so many people buy trees and shrubs in pots, take them out of the pot and shove them in the ground without teasing out the roots. You may find that the roots are tightly wound together in a ball so that the shrub cannot take in enough moisture and nutrient to develop. If this is the case then it will need some tlc whilst you loosen the roots and spread them out when re-planting. Just one possibility.

Having done that I would think of treating it like rejuvenating a hebe - cut half the stems next growing season and see if new shoots come from lower down, which they probably will. Then the following year do the other half. There are signs of growth from lower down already so I reckon your chances are good. Take cuttings from the parts you cut off - they usually root quite readily.

A light feeding with blood meal might help it to sprout from the base, also, though the plants around it certainly aren't showing signs of nitrogen deficiency. A moderately heavy pruning is likely to be in order when you move it, anyway, to keep it from going into shock, especially if it is rootbound, like Bulba says.

I agree,It looks quite healthy apart from the legginess..I think it could possibly be Euonymous Fortunei 'SilverQueen' as the foliage seems similar to mine..it should bush out slowly after a good prune..

Euonymus is one of the shrubs which can be renovated - between now and early spring at the latest, cut down to where the lowest growth is showing, which looks to be around 8 inches from the ground. Severe renovation of this nature for this shrub is best carried out midwinter, so December or January really.

Excellent, thanks for all your responses :)

Bamboo, can I ask why severe renovation is best carried out earlier than 'normal' pruning (which I thought should be later in Spring)?

Steragram that's a really good point about cuttings ... just in case I go wrong ;)

Bloomer I'd been wondering if it might be a Silver Queen so thanks for mentioning that. Someone posted a photo of one a few days ago with orange/pink berries that look very similar to the berries I've got on another plant that is the same variety as the one in these photos, only more bushy and healthy-looking! That's useful to know as I see Silver Queen likes sun or partial shade, so it might not be too keen on that shady spot where I thought I might re-plant it ...

Glad everyone was able to help,G.gem.I will look forward to seeing it's progress next year :o)

I was told some years ago that Silver Queen had stopped growing from cuttings for some reason. I did succeed but it took a long time. Let us know if yours take. (And mine is flourishing in quite deep shade, having been overtaken by an over enthusiastic evergreen.They are very tolerant beasts)

It's cos its an evergreen variety, Geranium g, so the recommendation is to do it in winter, when the plant is as dormant as its ever going to get, although severe renovation techniques are nearly always carried out winter, even if the plant is deciduous. Despite this recommendation, I have done it myself to evergreens in March and its been fine, but the Hebe I tried it with late April didn't recover.

Glad you mentioned that Bamboo - I have some miniature hebes that need pruning a bit so I'll get on with it. Though as I said above I don't think I cut back the ones I mentioned in the middle of winter but they grew back well anyway.

Hold on there a mo, steragram. Hebes are not shrubs that can be 'renovated' in this sense - you can take a risk and cut them right back, but you never know whether they'll respond or not if they're mature.
Shrubs which can safely be 'renovated' or stooled, meaning cutting right back to a framework between 1 and 4 feet (depending on the plant) are: rhododendron, syringa, taxus, box, Elaeagnus, Euonymus, Olearia, Osmanthus, Photinia, Pyracantha and Viburnum. Basically, its most evergreen shrubs which develop tall, tree like and possibly lanky growth, although I've seen it done on Forsythia too in winter. No flowers for a year or so, but worth doing.

So severe pruning while it's as dormant as possible reduces the risk of causing stress or shock to it?
You've got me thinking about another shrub now, that might be another question when I've found some photos ...
Thanks :)