They are based on "The Hill", an area of land behind the house. Over 18 years she transformed a dry desert slope into a beautiful ongoing gardening project.

She had talked about writing a story about "The Hill" - a place where 3 generations of children had played. The collages were found after her death by her children, carefully stored and labeled in a portfolio in the attic.

The area, once a river bed, has thousands of rocks of different sizes and Rosalie used them for terracing and lining pathways as she dug them out.

Despite her struggles with cancer and lupus Rosalie continued to do heavy gardening. She compensated for the gradual loss of dexterity in her left arm from high radiation therapy doses during treatment for breast cancer in the 1970's and was still watering, clearing weeds and planting new native plants a few weeks before she died in 1998. She also worked in her parents' yard and grew organic vegetables and flowers.

For many years The Hill remained a special place for Rosalie. She loved growing things and considered gardening an extension of her creativity as well as good exercise and a chance to be outside.