Welcome, Jenny!

You can find lots of helpful information to answer some of your questions in the FAQs (link at top of forum page).

Raised beds are ideal for bearded irises because they require a very well drained soil with minimal soil moisture. They will rot if overwatered or placed in a bed that is too moisture retentive. So raise them up as high as you want. They'll love it!

Bearded irises should be planted so the the tops of the rhizomes are level with or just slightly below the soil surface. Do NOT plant them too deeply or they may refuse to bloom. If you can just see the tops of the rzs at the soil surface, that's perfect.

Plant them as soon as you get them, as it's getting a bit late in the season now (not sure if that's true in zone 6, though). Water them in deeply immediately after planting, then water them deeply once a week for several weeks if you don't get any rainfall. Then they should be just fine on their own without any more supplemental water.

Happy irising,

Laurie