My fiance and I had our landscaping done a month ago, and 3 of the plants are rhododendrons. We asked our landscaping guys how often to water everything, and they said every day. We've been getting more rain than usual in Michigan, and I don't water when it rains. The plants are facing east so they get morning sun and I think they have mostly shade towards the end of the day (blocked by the house).

The rhododendrons seemed to be doing fine at first, but over the past week or so, the leaves are turning yellow to brown and are falling off (or are easy to take off when you touch them). Our Jap Maple is also not as bright burgundy as it was but doesn't seem to be dying like the rhodes are (and I believe they are supposed to get darker in late summer? I'm not sure). I thought I was overwatering so I have stopped watering everyday. The very top layer of mulch is dry and crusty feeling, but then you dig down an inch or deeper and it is moist. Here are some pics, notice the leaves fallen on the mulch. The first pic is a before pic - the rest are now. I don't have a close up of the rhodes when they were planted. Please help!!

The dead dry leaves look like leaves that are 2 or 3 years old and are being shed from older branches. That is normal and natural.

Err on the side of not enough water. If they are dry in the morning, then water thoroughly. With a good mulch, watering is not needed too often.

Cut off the bunch of 3 or so leaves that look like they are dying. That could be a borer or some other localized problem. It is best to remove it before it can affect the rest of the plant.