The fact that it's got 'some' leaves now means there's a chance. Water it well (i.e.when you do water it give it lots, but don't do it every day) and cross your fingers, but it doesn't look hopeful to me. Sorry.

With the very dry summer we've had it may be too late, but you need to encourage the roots to go down, so water REALLY thoroughly every few days. A little sprinkle every day doesn't do what's needed. (Not that I'm implying that that's what you've done)

Bamboo has written an excellent blog on watering.
http://www.growsonyou.com/bamboo/blog/4696-watering-for-beginners

Thanks for the mention, Beattie. I can't even tell what plant that is - Japonica is not a plant name, its a component of a plant name, meaning its originally Japanese, so do you have a name for the plant? Or do you know what it is, Beattie?

Looks like a Prunus to me Bamboo. Can't tell any more - we can't see the shape of the tree, no flowers to go on. The leaves look cherryish but it could be lots of things.

I've just put "Prunus japonica" into the RHS plant finder and got one result -

"unchecked name in the RHS Horticultural Database
Common name(s) dwarf flowering cherry, oriental bush cherry "

Looks like the best guess. Let's hope the plant pulls through.

Thanks Beattie and Bamboo. It's not a cherry and doesn't flower. Will look through my care card bag (so could take hours!) Saw one of these trees in Westonbirt arboretum and it should grow about 60 feet!! Fingers crossed xxxx

I'd like to know, I'm curious as to what it is - the leaves suggest Cornus, possibly, but I don't believe it is.

Hiya! Been googling this and maybe it's not a japonica!! It has lovley serrated leaves and when it stops raining I will go and take a better photograph of it!

No such thing as a japonica, Lulu! There's Spiraea japonica, Camellia japonica, Chaenomeles japonica and so on, but the first bit's the name of the plant.

Thanks Bamboo LOL!!