Jessie L. Seal

Jessie L. Seal (1864–1946) was an American floriculturist. An authority on the culture of dahlias, she turned a hobby into a profitable floristry business.

Early life Jessie Livingstone Cobbledick was born in California, February 3, 1864. She was a member of the Cobbledick family of San Francisco. As her health declined, Seal sold her business to the nephew, but after recovery, she began planning another garden, this time in San Mateo County, assisted by her son-in law, Roy Stovall. In 1928, she announced that she had her land piped for overhead sprinkling and that she used this method exclusively as there were many advantages to this method including that the plants were frequently washed, the soil did not pack, and a good growth was attained.

Becoming an authority for dahlia culture on the West coast, she published a detailed catalogue each year and acted as an introducer for new varieties which amateur growers would bring to high quality.

Selected works Dahlias, 1922 Jessie L. Seal, specializing in dahlia and delphinium seeds, 1930 (bulletin and price list) Dahlias, 1935