We're giving the wire basket thing (actually I am using hardware cloth) a try with the Hostas. Those buggers much down on them, especially the Patriot Variety, like there's no tomorrow. We lost 15 last year and at 12 bucks a piece..........
I've used in in a couple other applications in the garden mainly our garden railroad. It's a hobby of ours and uses a 1/25th scale train (average size) . The buggers tunnel under the track an cause all sorts of issues. I heard they won't tunnel through sharp or coarse rock but that's a myth. They move through it like nothing was there. Or at least our moles do. Caught one late last year, was almost as big as the spade I scooped it out of the ground with.
For the veg garden....... How about doing a raised bed and use the wire to line the ground between the actual ground or grade and the bed. I think that might work as well? I would just have to pick the material that we build the bed out of more carefully than timbers or rail ties. That is unless I line the indie walls with the wire screen as well.