Stylish Screen House

Atlanta gardener Carmen Collins had a critter problem in her backyard garden. She wanted to grow more, but squirrels and other garden pests kept making a mess. So, to keep the garden pests out, she came up with a design that enclosed her entire garden — raised beds and all — and hired friend Keenan Phillips to build it. Then, as the following photos show, she made it look less like a critter barrier and more like a place to celebrate her favorite pastime.

A planter above the screen room's front door is inscribed with the word "LIVE" which Carmen says is "both a command for what's growing inside, as well as a peacekeeping promise for the critters we agree to feed from the outside."

Tiered strawberry boxes work as exterior window boxes for herbs and ornamentals that critters won't want to disturb.

Squirrels and other four-legged garden pests can squeeze through tiny cracks. To keep them away from her veggies in the screen room, Carmen stapled vertical strips of quarter-inch flexible hardware cloth on the inside of the screen room, between the door frame and the door.