#code from page 342 of wxPython in Action-- Robin Dunn
import wx
labels= "one two three four five six seven eight nine".split()

class TestFrame(wx.Frame):
    def __init__(self):
        wx.Frame.__init__(self, None, -1, "GridBagSizer Test")
        sizer = wx.GridBagSizer(hgap=5, vgap=5)
        self.SetBackgroundColour(wx.BLACK)
        for col in range(3):
            for row in range(3):
                bw = BlockWindow(self, label=labels[row*3 + col])
                sizer.Add(bw, pos=(row,col))
                bw.SetBackgroundColour(self.GetBackgroundColour()) #You can change the color here
        bw = BlockWindow(self, label="pan 3 rows")
        sizer.Add(bw, pos=(0,3), span=(3,1), flag=wx.EXPAND)
        
        bw = BlockWindow(self, label="span all columns")
        sizer.Add(bw, pos=(3,0), span=(1,4), flag=wx.EXPAND)
        sizer.AddGrowableCol(3)
        sizer.AddGrowableRow(3)
        self.SetSizer(sizer)
        self.Fit()
        

class BlockWindow(wx.Panel):
    def __init__(self, parent, ID=-1, label="", 
                    pos=wx.DefaultPosition, size=(100,25)):
        wx.Panel.__init__(self, parent, ID, pos, size=size)
        self.label = label
        self.SetBackgroundColour("white") #or you can set the color when the panel is created
        self.SetMinSize(size)
        self.Bind(wx.EVT_PAINT, self.OnPaint)
        
    def OnPaint(self, evt):
        sz = self.GetClientSize()
        dc = wx.PaintDC(self)

app = wx.PySimpleApp()

TestFrame().Show()

app.MainLoop()