If Josie Gaskey had her way and if the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy had the funding, every town or city would have a garden at its entrance.

As it is, PennDOT has chosen three Mercer County communities to share $65,000 in federal Transportation Enhancement Amendment funds to plant community gardens, said the Conservancy's senior director of community conservation.

Ms. Gaskey has approached officials in Hermitage, Mercer and Greenville with offers to plant gardens of flowers, shrubs or trees at prime gateways to their communities. She approached Mercer council last week.

Mercer and Greenville officials have not responded to the offer. Hermitage has chosen a corner at Shenango Valley Freeway and state Route 18, Ms. Gaskey said. Depending on the bids, the gardens should be planted either in the spring or next fall, she said.

Besides being an attractive sight for passing motorists, community gardens also encourage people to stay there, the conservancy director said.

"The beautification is a sideline. We build communities. If they have gardens and they are attractive, people would stay there and they won't sprawl to areas that we want to save," Ms. Gaskey said.

Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has used the federal highway funds to plant gardens at entrances to Indiana, Butler, Johnstown, Holidaysburg, Tyrone, Harrisburg and Tamaqua. Although not funded by federal highway funds, gardens were planted at entrances to Meadville and Oil City.

At $21,660, each community should end up with a very elaborate garden. PennDOT's "specific procedure and material requirements cause the projects to cost more," Ms. Gaskey said.

Mercer County Regional Planning Commission is administering the grant for the Conservancy.

Each of the gardens must have a corporate steward who lines up volunteers or local organizations to maintain the garden to the conservancy's standards, she said. For instance, the gardens must be watered and weeded twice a week.

In some cases, corporate sponsors are sought to donate funds for tools and flowers for replanting, she said. A sign at the garden identifies the corporate sponsor.

The type of flowers, shrubs, and trees, the size of the garden and its location are up to the community, she said.

Mercer council indicated it will consider the offer. Greenville is waiting for more information about maintenance, said Peter D. Nicoloff Jr., borough manager.