I think that what you have done is perfectly fine - they are in a nice comfy bed with a mulchy duvet on top to protect them. My advice would be to watch them grow - it really is very early in the season and you will be surprised at how much space they will take up once they are flowering later on. Take photographs, decide which ones to move, if any, and then plant more if you want/need to in the autumn. You can then plant some bulbs between them so you have something to look at next year, whilst waiting for your perennials to start into growth.
Thanks for the kind comments 😁. Im still chuffed to bits as I'm new to a lot of outdoor gardening so even if it goes wrong i will learn from my mistakes. Im glad the instructions others have were to plant right away as i was a little bit worried reading @Fairygirl comments.
With regard to to mush, i dug out a load of clay and worked in some compost and topsoil to hopefully make it drain better.
I'm sorry if I worried you @fromtheshires, but I certainly couldn't plant tiny plants out here at this time of year, in my conditions, unless they were plants from my own garden that were already acclimatised, and were going into areas where the soil had been improved adequately. I've no idea of your conditions and climate, but from the description of your soil previously being mush, I was concerned that you could be wasting your money, if the soil wasn't going to be free draining enough. When so many plants are grown undercover, and in specific conditions to aid their health and growth, it can be too much for them. As most of your plants are tough perennials [the alchemilla will need an eye kept on it as it can go mad] hopefully you'll be ok.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@fromtheshires Perhaps in the Autumn you could use your Alchemilla to soften the wall.
If your looking for a garden project to do now here are a few ideas. As said get a pocket note book write down the names of your new plants. You can use this when you are out and about to if you visit a local nursery. You may not know the names of things but finding out over time is part of the fun. Look and observe gardens nearby. There is also The National Garden Scheme open gardens info on line.
Do you enjoy reading Alan Titchmarsh wrote a series of books for beginners probably in your local Library. A favourite book of mine is The Winter Garden by Val Bourne it amazed me the first time I read it. You may want to skip some chapters but there will also be pages that you will read and reread. Good Luck I think your enthusiasm is commendable.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
If you are concerned about possible slug damage or weather damage to your small plants, another protection device is a homemade option. Cut the top and bottom off a 1 litre plastic drinks bottle. Cut the resulting cylinder in half and you have two free protective plastic rings. Place one of these around your plant and push it into the soil down to an inch or so. It's not infallible to prevent slug damage but it helps. Make sure you remove it before the plant gets too large!
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I've no idea of your conditions and climate, but from the description of your soil previously being mush, I was concerned that you could be wasting your money, if the soil wasn't going to be free draining enough. When so many plants are grown undercover, and in specific conditions to aid their health and growth, it can be too much for them.
As most of your plants are tough perennials [the alchemilla will need an eye kept on it as it can go mad] hopefully you'll be ok.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
If your looking for a garden project to do now here are a few ideas. As said get a pocket note book write down the names of your new plants. You can use this when you are out and about to if you visit a local nursery. You may not know the names of things but finding out over time is part of the fun. Look and observe gardens nearby. There is also The National Garden Scheme open gardens info on line.
Do you enjoy reading Alan Titchmarsh wrote a series of books for beginners probably in your local Library. A favourite book of mine is The Winter Garden by Val Bourne it amazed me the first time I read it. You may want to skip some chapters but there will also be pages that you will read and reread. Good Luck I think your enthusiasm is commendable.