Watering and feeding after late autumn planting

I'm a total newbie gardener with a "clean slate" garden, into which I planted a lot of new perennials in October and November.

I've planted what I could get hold of availability-wise at this time of the year - my basic understanding and common sense suggests to me that the plants wouldn't be sold if they weren't suitable for late autumn planting! However I am unsure how to care for these new plants over the winter.

I have just planted the following:

Winter flowering jasmine
Star jasmine
Sorbus Autumn Spire tree
Buddleja Davidii
Rosemary
Lavender
Choisya Sundance
Heuchera
Astilbe
Phlox

I'm reading conflicting advice about whether these plants should be fed after planting or not. Some places say always feed the soil just before or after planting but others say don't feed in autumn.

I'm also unsure how often to water the plants over winter and how much to water them? I don't want to overdo it but equally I don't want them to dry out. Though at the moment we have a fair bit of rain so it's not a worry yet.

Sorry that I sound completely clueless. That's because I am!

 

Traditionally, bone-meal was added to planting holes. It provides slow-release phosporus which encourages root growth without stimulating sappy new growth which is vulnerable to cold. If you want to add some to already planted shrubs and climbers, SJ, it could be 'tickled' into the loose soil around them now.
As JWK says, mulching is an excellent way of physically protecting the roots/ rootballs during winter. Definitely keep a close eye on any plants with peat-based rootballs during the first two Springs /summers.

 

I just put compost in the planting holes as I was unsure about feeding and almost everything I read just mentioned compost. Then I read more about feeding and started to worry!

I'm in the UK - the north east coast, specifically.

I do have a new box of blood, fish and bonemeal, as well as a bottle of tomato feed which I was told was good for jasmine! So might add some of the former around the newly planted plants.

What would you recommend as a good mulch? I'm so new to this that I have never actually bought mulch before! Going to the garden centre on Friday so will pick something up then.

Thank you!

 

We don't have compost or grass clippings - we have a small courtyard garden with not much of anything. Will pick up some bark chippings then - thank you. Thank you also for the feeding tips!