Stepping through the gates of Shades of Gray Gallery and Garden, visitors are immediately transported to a whimsical wonderland filled with unique, hand-crafted metal flowers. The beautiful greenery of the garden is adorned with 16,000 lilies, daisies, and bell flowers in vibrant colours and hues, nestled among the plants and hanging from the tree branches. Around each corner, new surprises await: weather vanes, hand-crafted chooks, garden sculptures, and a room filled with magnificent ornate mirrors made with poppies.
The annual 15-day exhibition, now in its 33rd year, brings thousands of visitors from interstate and overseas to see the living work of art, with more than 8000 walking the garden paths last year.
Artist and owner Peter Gray, works a minimum of 12 hours a day, seven days a week, preparing for the annual event.
“Every year I’m driven to make it better than the year before,” he said.
“The garden is the art piece, and people can take away a part of the art, a flower to remember the experience of being here.”
This year Peter painstakingly restored a 1940s-1950s workshop using mostly salvaged materials. The use of the workspace has streamlined the process and allowed the artist and his staff to produce more pieces than ever before.
Last year, 1000 additional plants were added, and the garden is looking truly spectacular.
“It’s an incredible experience where you are overwhelmed by thousands and thousands of flowers,” he said.
“You won’t see anything like this in the world. That’s why people travel from everywhere and line up for hours.”
The 2026 Annual Exhibition will open on October 31 to November 8 from 10am to 4pm and continue on November 14-15, 21-22, and 28-29 from 10am to 4pm.
www.shadesofgray.net.au or on Instagram @shadesofgraystudio
Shades of Gray Gallery and Garden, Corner of Farnsworth and Brown Streets, Castlemaine.
