Shrub ID required

Keithster

Does anyone know what the middle shrub is please?  It has never flowered (although that could be because it's been pruned at the wrong time of year).  It's about three feet tall (one of the photos shows Salvia Hot Lips to the left).  Photos taken within last couple of weeks. 

Hostafan1

Cornus?

punkdoc

I think so too, but no idea which.

Keithster

Thank you for your suggestions.  I'll keep an eye on it over the winter and see what happens.  I'm assuming that all Cornus varieties will lose their leaves over the winter to reveal their coloured stems, but that I should have pruned it in the Spring for new stem growth of a more vivid colour?  

gardenman91

Hi Welshey, it also looks like a cornus to me. Cornus that are grown for their stem colour are pruned hard back to the base in spring, this is because the new growth is the reddest and becomes duller in colour as it ages. What colour is the stem? Has it flowered at all before?

Dovefromabove

But not all Cornus are grown for their coloured stems ... some are grown for their beautiful flowers 

https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/plants.cfm?pl_id=1255

Silver surfer

Dovefromabove said:

But not all Cornus are grown for their coloured stems ... some are grown for their beautiful flowers 

Dove is correct.
By pruning it you could be removing flowering shoots.
Suggest you just wait, watch and see what happens over next 2 years.
If you see flower please add pics which will help with an accurate id.

robairdmacraignil

One of the dogwoods I have in the garden is more grown for its fruit Which I have yet to see). The cornelian cherry (Cornus mas) looks similar to the shrub above and has yellow flowers in late winter.

I also have an evergreen one but it has leaves than look different from the shrub above.