It depends on how much rock is there. I needed a drill compressor just to put in the fence posts, so I chose to dump the soil above ground, a foot deep. I made pathways and planted.

Go to the library and find a beginning gardening book. That'll give you good info to get started. Have fun!

All things being equal, it's your choice. Raised bed gardening is often recommended when soil conditions preclude an easy inground gardening situation - heavy clay soils, poor drainage, very rocky, pH issues, etc. But raised beds can also make it easier to customize growing conditions through a specific soil mix, allows for easier, more accessible gardening (less kneeling or bending), can limit the spread of weeds and can extend the garden season (raised bed soils heat up faster in spring and cool down more slowly in fall).

Personally, vegetable gardens are not the tidiest looking things, especially in the off season. Well-designed raised beds can make even a unused vegetable garden look attractive and well-groomed.

The attached is a pretty good outline of the advantages to both methods.

Here is a link that might be useful: Raised beds versus inground

Gardengal48:

Thanks! That link spelled it out and was what I was looking for.

I may go for the above ground.

Cheers,
Lee