Pat and Chuck Montag usually make a day of it.

He mows while she weeds or plants.

The couple aren’t working on their own lawn but instead are helping to brighten the drive for Butler travelers.

Pat Montag is the steward of the community flower garden at the intersection of Routes 8 and 422, one of three such gardens that beautify local roads.

The plots, including other gardens at Route 68 and Hansen Avenue and at Route 173 and East Cooper Street in Slippery Rock, were created through an initiative by the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and are overseen by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.

The locations of the gardens are determined by municipalities and community groups and are turned over to local groups for planting and maintenance. The projects are sponsored financially by individuals, businesses and corporations, according to Kristen Blevins of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.

“All of the gardens have exceptional groups that take care of the gardens week in and week out,” said Gavin Deming of the conservancy.

Pat Montag is the steward for the community flower garden at Routes 8 and 422.

That garden was first planted in 2004 and is maintained by the Butler Intermediate League, the Butler Garden Club and the Jr. Woman’s Club of Butler, who each take six-week shifts to ensure the garden is weeded, mowed and watered.

Gardens are typically planted in late May, and Montag said the National Honor and Junior National Honor societies, as well as the Young Professionals Group, typically help.

“We have so many wonderful people in the community who help us plant,” Montag said.

The garden has won the Community Greening Award from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and the award for the Best Highway Beautification from the Southwest district of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, Montag said.

Tim McCune performs the same job for the garden at Route 68 and Hansen Avenue.

The plot, filled with red flowers, is maintained by the Butler A.M. Rotary Club.

He said the flower bed usually requires diligent watering, but the persistent rain has eased duty this year.

“Early in the growing season, we have to water the flowers several times a week,” he said. “We have water lines installed, which allows us to place drip lines in the beds and slowly water the flowers.”

The Butler County Adult Probation Community Service workers mow the grass at the site, and Veteran’s Court participants joined the Rotary Club in planting the blooms last month.

“We had about 20 volunteers at our flower planting and usually have that many in the fall when we remove the flowers,” McCune said.

Montag said the flowers are usually removed in late October.

The Routes 8 and 422 plot is prepped by Sherry Kyne at Eisler Landscaping, which also provides mulch. Montag said the flowers are locally grown at Gumto’s Greenhouse.

The conservancy provides the flowers and pays the water bills for the three plots.

Local businesses, such as Pennsylvania American Water and Benko Orthodontics, offer financial sponsorship, Deming said.

The Slippery Rock Memorial Garden is maintained by Slippery Rock in Bloom members and sponsored by North Country Brewing and Slippery Rock University.