Gardening in Manhattan

I have been successful in the past. I remember it being lusher. The flowers were more robust. Is it my imagination or my memory? What hasn’t worked in Delaware is begonias, alyssum, and geraniums. Maybe it’s poor stock at Home Depot. Looking back, I am puzzled. The same principles do not apply and did not follow me. Same sun, same technique, different result. It remains a work in progress. Once upon a time I had quite a garden in the heart of Manhattan.