Ours doesn't mind lots of sun, but it's well established in its little spot. maybe it's finding your soil heavy-going. Don't know how big it is, but if manageable I'd consider something radical like a trim, dig up, improve the soil under and around it before replanting straight away? If you do, try and make sure it's out of the ground for as short a time as possible

Is it sheltered from chilly winds, Jan? They aren't reliably hardy - you're quite far north, so it could have caught a blast...it won't have liked that.

Keep an eye on it, as new leaves may well appear. If it is in an exposed position, you might want to think about a move.

Thank you both for your replies. I don't think it's in a particularly windy spot, being against a fence and in between a photinia red robin and a box shrub, and also beneath a young tree. But maybe it doesn't get as much sun as I first said, thinking about it, and we have had a particularly cold winter with prolonged snow earlier this year. It's about three feet tall and two feet wide, and isn't really much bigger now than when I planted it last year. Would it survive being dug up do you think? Or would I be better to leave it and just see what happens? It's certainly not on its last legs, it just looks a bit under par!

I think on balance, it's better to leave well alone, and maybe give it a feed.

Thanks spritz, I'll do that and see if things improve.

Keep us informed about the patient's well-being, won't you!