I wanted a little tree for our 3 seasons porch to add a little green...that I didn't have to water. I put white lights in it on a timer for some extra warmth. It is exactly how it was described online, shipping was quick and it came packaged nicely, even telling me which end of the box to open so all the mossy stuff wouldn't fall out of the basket. Very little shaping needed to be done. I did buy a heavier, more decorative pot to put it in to make it more sturdy, but didn't necessarily have to.