It might be a pieris "Flaming Silver". It might benefit from potting on. Someone else is bound to come up with better advice! Good luck.

Thanks for responding so quickly. I'm a novice gardener! Can I ask what potting on means? Is it re potting?
Thanks

Yes, except it usually also means putting into a slightly larger pot, adding some more compost. But I am sure you will get more expert advice from some of the others! I am quite new to this site - you will find it very friendly and VERY expert! And thank you for your quick reply!!!!

Could be a pieris but my initial thought was Daphne.

I think I agree Andy. It does look to have fleshy stems.

Did it flower Michiem? If so, was there scent?

It just didn't have the right growth habit for a pieris.

Sorry doesn't look like a daphne to me, leaves are wrong.

I've got a Pieris "Flaming silver", and I think you're right, Andy, this doesn't look quite right. Are those buds I can see? I think they'd be a bit longer on a Pieris. Mine has already "flowered". I don't know anything about Daphne, so I couldn't say on that one. In any case, it needs a bigger pot to start with, Michiem, and some nice new compost.

Been looking at more daphne photos and it 'might' be a very unhappy D. 'Carol Mackie'

Thanks for the advice all. I will get a bigger pot today and give it some tlc and hope it survives.

It does look to have some flower buds on it. If they are and it flowers then post another photo and maybe you will get a better ID.

My first thought was Hebe, possibly 'Heartbreaker' without the new pink growth; or possibly a Pieris, or the Daphne MG mentions. I think, until it does something like flower or produce new leaves, its hard to say.

i think it could be a hebe also as i bought 2 recently does it have pinkish young growth ? then id say it was ......just wait until it flowers then you will know

I had heartbreaker and it grew very straggly like this one but it was very much pinker and this one has not even a hint of pink. (Got fed up with it and gave it the heave ho eventually)

Looking at it again, I think it may be some kind of variegated azalea, Michiem - maybe Girard's "Variegated gem" or Azalea japonica "Silver Queen"? If this is the case, potting on in special acidophile compost (what do you call it in English?) and a special rhododendron and azalea feed might make all the difference. Google these and have a look at the pictures and see what you think. If I am right, don't keep it in strong sunshine, either.

Could it be a skimmia. Saw one in the garden centre almost identical today !!!!

I think we'd better wait for any flowers that might appear...

I am quite fascinated - you wouldn't really call these leaves "common" would you, yet I have seen at least three plants with leaves like that since this question came up - one today in a friend's garden, but it was a really low-growing alpine.