Journalist left among sheep is beginning to survey mountain plant (9)
I believe the answer is:
edelweiss
'mountain plant' is the definition.
'edelweiss' can be an answer for 'plant' (edelweiss is a kind of plant). I'm unsure of the 'mountain' bit.
'journalist left among sheep is beginning to survey' is the wordplay.
'journalist left' becomes 'del' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'among' indicates putting letters inside (inserted letters are placed among others).
'sheep' becomes 'ewe' (a ewe is a female sheep).
'beginning to' indicates taking the first letters.
The initial letter of 'survey' is 's'.
'del' put within 'ewe' is 'edelwe'.
'edelwe'+'is'+'s'='EDELWEISS'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for edelweiss that I've seen before include "Deep admiration" , "Sound of Music plant" , "I weed less when this flower is around" , "high growth" , "flower as national symbol" .)