Irish officer touring eastern part of UK plant (8)
I believe the answer is:
gardenia
'plant' is the definition.
The answer is an example.
'irish officer touring eastern part of uk' is the wordplay.
'irish officer' becomes 'Garda' (a Garda is a member of the Irish police force).
'touring' indicates putting letters inside (touring can mean going round).
'eastern' becomes 'e'.
'part of uk' becomes 'NI' (Northern Ireland).
'e'+'ni'='eni'
'garda' going around 'eni' is 'GARDENIA'.
(Other definitions for gardenia that I've seen before include "bloomer!" , "Evergreen" , "Waxlike flower" , "Shrub such as the Cape jasmine" , "A reading (anag.)" .)