Lena Agostino

You can take a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.

A radiant Lena Agostini on her wedding day.
Credit: Lena Agostino and Emmie and Peter Testi

In an era that rarely acknowledged women’s achievements, Lena arrived in Fremantle ready to take on the world. Just 18 years old, she stepped off the Neptunia in 1953 with a fierce determination, a love of greenery and unstoppable energy.

Born in San Giorgio Morgeto, Calabria, Lena was one of eight children. Her father, Domenico, passed away suddenly when she was 11, leaving her mother Caterina to raise the family alone. With limited resources, Caterina leased land from Dr Spinelli, who allowed the family to work a flourishing orchard in lieu of rent – a formative experience that later shaped Lena’s own path.

Alongside orchard work and a job in a silk factory, Lena still found time for joy. She swam in the Straits of Messina, once feared by sailors for whirlpools and rocky currents, and gathered with friends and the children of her comares (similar to an aunt) to recite poems, sing songs and share rhymes – a passion that endures to this day. Lena has an extraordinary repertoire of more than 10,000 poems, rhymes and songs.

Lena’s brother Angelo had migrated to Australia in 1949, establishing a market garden in Stirling. Encouraged by his success, he urged his mother and siblings Lena, Salvatore and Maria to join him. They arrived  in 1953 and moved into Angelo’s home in Balcatta, ready to begin a new life together.

As a young migrant, Lena arrived in Fremantle with a passion for gardening and big aspirations.
Credit: Lena Agostino and Emmie and Peter Testi

Lena loved Australia and believed it held the promise of a bright future, but her early days were tough. After arriving, she began working in her brother’s market garden. Lena had never worked in a market garden before and was deeply unhappy. She also worked in her Aunt Ida and Uncle George Tedesco’s market garden, where her weekly pay was simply a bag of seasonal vegetables. The hours were long, the labour exhausting and the sense of obligation weighed heavily.

In 1955, Lena met Angelo (Natale) at a wedding, and the attraction was immediate. Natale was born in Mammola and raised in San Giorgio, Calabria. He had arrived in 1950 on the Napoli with his best friend, both hoping for a better life. Upon disembarking in Fremantle, his friend took one look around, decided he didn’t like it, and returned straight to the Napoli to make his way back to Italy. But Natale stayed.

When Lena’s grandmother and mother decided they wanted to return to Italy, Lena faced a difficult choice. Her mother’s ultimatum was clear: ‘Either marry Natale or you are returning to Italy with us.’ Lena chose love and the future she dreamed of. She and Natale married on 26 January 1956, and the very next day, her mother and grandmother departed for Italy.

A joyful Lena and Natale on their wedding day, 26 January 1956.
Credit: Lena Agostino and Emmie and Peter Testi

Lena – radiant in her gown and veil, holding a cascading bouquet.
Credit: Lena Agostino and Emmie and Peter Testi

The newlyweds settled in Innaloo, where Lena’s mother-in-law moved in with them. Determined to build a secure future, Lena and Natale worked seven days a week. Natale, a skilled skilled cabinetmaker and spec builder, soon established a thriving business.

Their beloved daughter Emilia was born the following year. Just three months later, Lena began working at Roselea Nursery while Natale’s mother cared for Emilia, providing the love and attention of a devoted nonna.

Lena later moved to Waldeck’s Garden Centre, where she remained for five years. Yet her dream was always to have her own nursery – and she spent every spare hour in the backyard in Innaloo, propagating and potting cuttings.

A smiling Lena with two healthy potted plants — her love of gardening evident.
Credit: Lena Agostino and Emmie and Peter Testi

In 1972, Lena and her brother Angelo opened a nursery together, growing plants in their respective backyards. Lena worked seven days a week to create the product line for the nursery and expand their offerings. Late into the night, she would make and set cuttings, graft plants, sow and transplant seedlings or potted cuttings to pots or flats, and repot plants as they grew.

When Angelo took his family on a seven-month overseas trip, Lena and Natale shouldered the extra workload and expanded the business. Lena concentrated on production while Natale managed deliveries, maintenance and supplies – all on top of running his own building business.

In 1977, Lena realised her dream of establishing a nursery of her own when she opened the Balcatta Garden Centre, followed by Advanced Nursery in Wanneroo in 1995. With Natale, she built a thriving business and became a pioneer in bringing new plants to Western Australia, such as the custard apple tree, as well as being the first to import handmade terracotta pots from Impruneta in Italy.

Credit: Lena Agostino and Emmie and Peter Testi

The start of something big – the Balcatta Garden Centre quickly became a leading Perth nursery.
Credit: Lena Agostino and Emmie and Peter Testi

Italian elegance in Perth – Lena and Natale’s nursery was one of the first to import rare plants and Italian garden decore to Western Australia.
Credit: Lena Agostino and Emmie and Peter Testi

Credit: Lena Agostino and Emmie and Peter Testi

Lena was more than a businesswoman – she was a brand. With her flowing hair, trademark scarf, fiery red nails and flair for style, she left a lasting impression. Her generosity was legendary. Customers were greeted by name, treated to private tours and often left with extra plants tucked under their arm. She even took her passion to local schools, showing children the joy and rewards of growing things.

The business grew into a family affair when daughter Emmie and son-in-law Peter joined in. Emmie had been raised among seedlings and garden beds and knew the trade by heart. As Balcatta became increasingly industrial and the water supply too iron-rich for cultivation, the family boldly relocated to Wanneroo – and their loyal customers followed. By then, Lena’s reputation for innovation and expertise had won her clients in every walk of life: politicians, athletes, business leaders, artists and even  Perth Zoo. What they valued most was not only her horticultural knowledge but the warmth and generosity she brought to every encounter.

Advanced Nursery during its early years. Lena stands among the thousands of plants she raised from seedlings. 
Credit: Lena Agostino and Emmie and Peter Testi

Lena’s trademark silk scarves made her instantly recognisable.  
Credit: Lena Agostino and Emmie and Peter Testi

Among the nursery’s most exciting projects was a commission from Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay, one of Asia’s premier garden destinations. In the 2000s, the family shipped four container loads of plants, including rare ‘supertrees’ for its extraordinary collection of more than 1.5 million specimens.

Another highlight came when Lena was asked to supply plants for the film Australia, starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. She personally selected the plants, which filled two semitrailers bound for the set in Kununurra.

Lena’s passion also inspired Western Australian sculptor Tony Jones, who was commissioned by the City of Stirling to create a permanent 10-metre steel sculpture. Standing outside the City of Stirling administration building, it honours her lasting contribution to the community.

Dwarfed by Tony Jones’ 10-metre sculpture, Lena is honoured for her lasting contribution to the community. 
Credit: Lena Agostino and Emmie and Peter Testi

A trailblazer in Western Australia’s nursery industry, Lena was admired for her innovation, generosity and passion for sharing the joy of gardening. Above all, though, her greatest pride was her family. Her love for Emilia, Peter and her grandchildren was boundless. Today, Emilia and Peter carry Lena’s vision forward, keeping the passion and vision alive. Guided by her radiant smile and enduring love, the family business continues to flourish – firmly rooted in the values she planted long ago.

Back in Calabria, Lena reconnects with family.  
Credit: Lena Agostino and Emmie and Peter Testi

Lena with her famous zeppole, a much-anticipated pastry treat.
Credit: Lena Agostino and Emmie and Peter Testi