The majority of bonsai artists stick with the more common deciduous, confierous, or fruit trees when developing their bonsai art collection.  However, more exotic bonsai varieties can be found that allow the bonsai artist to further develop his or her skills.

An excellent alternative to the classical bonsai is Wisteria, a native of Japan, China, and Korea.  In the wild, Wisteria can reach 30 feet or more in size.  However, since Wisteria doesn't conform to any of the normal bonsai styles, forming them into a bonsai can be an interesting challenge.

The Wisteria flowers are both beautiful and aromatic and come in a variety of colors, including blue, white, pink, and purple.  Blossoming in the Spring, they need lots of water with adequate drainage and they do well in any where from full sun to partial shade.  Just before they blossom in the spring, you should provide them with a good amount of fertilizer, and once again in late summer before they drop their leaves.

Another good choice is Orange Jasmine which will provide a delight to the nose and beauty to the eye.  Orange Jasmine bears a bright red fruit and fragrant, white blossoms.

Feed Orange Jasmine every three to four weeks starting in early spring and continuing through mid-autumn.  Only light watering is adequate for most of the year, with a little more required in the hotter summer season.

Because they generally do better in moderate shade or filtered sun, Orange Jasmine is one of the few bonsai that can, and should be grown indoors.

The Mimosa tree, also sometimes known as silk trees due to their long silky filaments, provide another good choice.  They are as fragrant as both of the two choices mentioned above and their puffy flowers and lacy foliage are also just as lovely.

The Mimosa's flowers bloom in late April to early July and moderate water should be provided during the blooming season.  However, you should avoid getting water on the flowers because, much like a number of other flowering plants, the flowers will quickly deteriorate when wet.

If you choose to cultivate a Mimosa, it will be one of the larger bonsai in your collection since they have large leaves, grow rapidly, and are difficult to maintain at a very small size.  So be sure to give then adequate room in your display area.

Another non-traditional bonsai is the Desert Rose.  The Desert Rose can turn what would be an ordinary bonsai collection into one full of color and excitement.  It is a native of East Africa and in the wild can grow up to 10 feet tall, producing large, pink, trumpet-bowl flowers.

The Desert Rose should be kept outdoors most of the year as they need plenty of sunshine and lots of fresh air.  With their very bushy growing habit, they will make an excellent design complement to the many traditional bonsai in your collection.

However, the Desert Rose is sensitive to cold, so they should be brought indoors in cold climates or during periods of cold weather as they will not thrive in temperatures below 10C (50F).  With temperatures in the 10C-15C (50F-60F) range, they will lie dormant and healthy and during this period they will need very little water.

You should try your hand at some of these exotic beautiful and fragrant flowering plants to extend your horizon and further develop your bonsai gardening skills. They provide a nice contrast when placed among some of the more standard evergreens, such as, junipers, pines, and firs.  Additionally, as they drop their leaves in the fall and blossom in the spring, you'll have an interesting season-changing display.

George Dodge enjoys landscaping and gardening as a hobby.  Bonsai gardening offers hours of enjoyment producing delightful miniture trees and shrubs as an art form. His Bonsai Tree Gardening site provides tips for the beginning bonsai gardener.  Experiment with exotic bonsai choices to extend your collection.

Waxing and Sugaring are closely related hair removal processes. Both methods have been used to successfully remove unwanted hair for centuries by both women and men. Sugaring has a history of use going back thousands of years in the Middle East.

Sugaring

Sugaring involves making a paste or gum from sugar, water, and lemon juice which is then applied to the hair to be removed. A major advantage of sugaring for those planning to do everything themselves is that the ingredients and equipment are cheap, environmentally friendly and universally available. The sugaring process does not use wax but it is often referred to as sugar wax because of the similarity to the regular wax mthod of hair removal.

Sugar wax sticks strongly to hair however it does not stick to the skin as strongly as normal wax. In a sise by side comparison of the two methods it has been reported that sugaring is significantly less painful than waxing. People with sensitive skin tend to favor this method as it's more gentle on the skin than waxing.

One advantage of sugaring is that is is cleaned up very easy as the sugar dissolves in water. Any leftovers can be stored for next time or eaten if you have a sweet tooth! It is simply a type of sugar candy.

Waxing

Waxing involves heating a wax compound which is then applied to the hair to be removed. The wax is usually purchased from a retail store and costs about twenty to thirty dollars. You may also be able to purchase it from a store or online as a complete kit with accessories.

The actual process of applying the wax and then removing the hair is identical to sugaring. The warm wax tends to stick to to skin as well as hair so the removal process is more painful and temporarily leaves red marks and bumps.

Because wax is not water soluble it is harder to clean off some surfaces.

Both Methods

The sugaring and waxing hair removal processes have their similarities with both methods leading to similar results. When the hair grows back there is less of it and it is softer and silkier. You do not suffer from the cuts, nicks, coarse stubble or ingrown hair caused by shaving which is another common method.

Waxing and sugaring are both easy processes that anyone can perform in the privacy of their home but there are also beauty salons that also provide these services.

Imagine warm water, cool breezes, majestic palm trees and white sand beaches. You can see all of these when you experience a Hawaii travel package. Hawaii offers a tropical destination that Americans don't have to leave the U.S. to experience.

Average temperatures in Hawaii are pretty consistent all year. There are only two seasons, summer and winter. The average daily temperature only changes slightly each month. Expect approximately 85 degrees in the summer and 78 degrees in the winter. Furthermore, while it rains every day up in the high mountains, the rain is very focused. Even if it's raining where you are, traveling a slight distance means you can probably find a sunny spot on a beach not too far away.

There are several Hawaiian islands, so determine which ones you want to visit before making your vacation package selections. That will help you choose among all the different Big Island of Hawaii vacation packages, or a Maui vacation package, or you could find the perfect Kauai vacation package. Since travel among the islands is usually by small plane, select your ideal by ensuring it accounts for the travel you want to do while there.

Whichever trip itinerary you select, be sure to do plenty of research into the activities available on that particular island. While websites and travel agents are great sources, the personal experiences of anyone you know may be more helpful. You can get a good idea of what others enjoyed the most, but remember that just like every vacation experience, yours will be unique.

One thing you will not find in Hawaii travel packages brochures is information about non-tourist attractions. Small towns along the shorelines of the Big Island of Hawaii can bring lots of enjoyment for those wishing to get away from the largely commercial beach resorts.

There are plenty of exciting adventures that can take place on land, sea and air. Although these activities are typically not included, you should budget for the added expense. When speaking with a professional about Hawaii travel packages, find out whether they can also book such extras, and if a better price is possible.