This planter is attractive, durable, and lighter than concrete.  It has no shortcomings, so I am delighted with it. I filled the bottom with river rock to raise the plant already in a plastic pot so that the top edge of the plastic pot falls just short of the top edge of this planter. Then I covered the top edge of the plastic pot with small decorative pebbles. That meant I didn't have to re-pot the plant, and I think it looks great.