Jane, they look great and it seems you've done everything right. I was happy to see you didn't try to give them a fertilizer 'boost' that wouldn't have helped anything.

You're going to want them moist but not ever soggy. How often you need to apply water to achieve that will depend on your site, soil, temperature and wind though, there isn't a specific formula that fits all and the timing will change with your weather. That means they will need your attention, check (fingers) the area of rootballs and adjacent soil, water when it begins to dry.
You can watch for any droop of the newest foliage (foliage buds that will open in a few weeks)when your weather gets warmer or you have some windy days - that will help to signal if the disturbed roots have enough water to supply the top growth.

I don't see any reason this wouldn't have been a successful transplant given a little extra attention this first year after moving. Let us know....

Watering can kill rhodies. It is best to not water unless you see a little wilting on new growth in the morning. Wilting in the heat of a very hot day is normal and you shouldn't water then.

The site shown on her photos in the New England forum shows slope. I don't think she should have a problem with overwatering or slow drainage....

Never say never. My garden is on a slope and I have natural springs with water seeping to the surface. Being on a slope means that there is higher ground which may drain down to a rock layer that brings it out at a lower elevation. I had to install an underground drainage system. That is what fills my pond.

Also, in the East we get hot days and hot nights. Phytophthora (root rot) is much more of a problem. We need to keep our gardens on the dry side. We get lots of rain in the summer so watering is seldom needed except in a drought, which for us is when it doesn't rain for 3 or 4 weeks.

In the West you usually have cool nights and it may not rain for 3 or 4 months. That is what kept me employed on a Forest Service fire crew during the summers in Oregon and Washington while I was in college.

Thank you, everyone! I'm still a mother hen over these plants and stick my fingers in under the mulch every day. They're still moist - not soaking. It's just that I didn't know how much leaf droop would be associated with the stress of transplanting versus any droop resulting from an excessive or insufficient moisture level. Looks as though Mother Nature is going to take care of them for me as rain is forecasted again. I keep comparing their leaves to my older rhodys and when I saw a little yellow tint in a few leaves, lo and behold, their color was the same as in my older rhodys that have never been moved and are 30 years old.

The slope now is probably no more than 10-15 degrees and the drainage is good. I'm just an overly protective mother, I guess, and I truly appreciate you folks responding to my question. When they bloom (please may they bloom) I'll post a picture.

Thanks ever so much. I felt better after plowing through pages of info on rhodyman.net and it is joy to share this adventure with other rhododendron lovers.

Kindly,

Jane