Probably an Elaeagnus - did you notice any intermittent thorns or spines along the stems - they're sparse, but they should be present. Might be E. augustifolia, need to see the whole plant really.

Thanks - that is definitely the answer. Will look out for the spines tomorrow when out with the dog - but looking at other images online, there is no question. Noticing that it is drought-resistent, it seems to be just what we want this year in our Met Office statistically driest village in the UK!

Thanks again.

Definitely an Elaeagnus, but the leaves are too thick, green, and oval for an E. angustifolia. More likely a hybrid, such as 'Coral Silver'.

More thanks for the input. Looked at the stems today, and there are no spines to be seen. However, the leaves do look very like E. augustifolia - more so than the images I can find of 'Coral Silver' - which seems to have wavey edges to the leaves, and to be rather greener and less thin and pointed. Don't know. The Elaeagnus we had as a hedge in Sussex was, I think, ebbingei, with much bigger leaves and white fragrant flowers. I will look out for berries in due course.

I still think its augustifolia...

Probably right, Bamboo. I was looking through the hybrids, and none of them really came as close as E. angustifolia, though this picture doesn't really look like the ones I was familiar with in Flagstaff, Arizona. Doggonit! I just got new glasses! : /