I think patio paver stones all around would look great. They are durable, cost effective and easy to install.

"Filling in with dirt isn't really feasible, at least not on both sides "

But regrading is really what you should do, or plant a hedge around the perimeter of the patio.

What is the cement covered in? Get some more have it cut in strips and cement it to the sides you want hidden.

Add hedges or put in flowering shrubs that will grow in and cover up the patio edges.

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Looking at the photo, your adjacent soil doesn’t appear suited to plantings. Speak with a local landscape contractor or nursery.

Regarding the original question, IF the contractor was expected to set the patio at grade then he failed. Ask that he apply a finish coat onto the edges - not an unreadonable request. Simply a ”plastering” of hydrolic cement onto the edges.

all sorts of landscape edging would work there

All I see is a big tripping/falling hazard - up and down.

I agree one giant tripping hazard and why was it not installed properly as you had asked. I need to see the whole yard to even guess how to handle this mess.I kind of like the idea of the hedge it will keep the peole from tripping for sure and looks nice.

The bigger issue is that the steps now need to be rebuilt as the bottom ones no longer look to be code compliant.

I think you can use gravel or garden rocks

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Some option to go

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Someone really messed up here. There is stumble hazard with the short stairs that were created by the height of the slab. That definitely is not to code. You should have been advised to not make the problem worse with the thick tile. Did you check the COF slip rating on the tile you put down? It should be at least R11. Otherwise, someone is going to be flat on their back if they're not careful. Also the downspout needs to be redirected far away from that slab or it will begin to sink on that side... the other downspout definitely should no be dumping water on the tile either.

The type of rock looks like a freezing climate, and the tile looks pretty shiny, and water dumps on it.

You can raise the soil on the side, you probably want to keep the step on the driveway side though so rocks don't get kicked up onto your tile. The exposed concrete actually goes with the driveway rock, it would be the tile that stands out.

I think you need to move away from thinothd entire perimeter will be open”. Think about a few most convenient access/ egress points & how wide those would be.

You can’t just put some edger stone ( meaning man- made , flat- sided) all around because it would all have to have a base and grading and leveling or it will look like a wonky mess, and even then would add a lot of busing- ness as an edging.

I agree, not clear whether you have the soil to grow a lush low groundcover.

If you don’t have a lot of tree debris blowing in you might be able to do some gray rock like granite chips or something— edging with intermittent pockets of plantings- again don’t know what exposure / climate / sun/water availability , but there are likely some tough , low- growing things or that would work if a few areas were amended— so the plantings soften the sterile look.

Also not sure what is going on with the tile that looks like a slick porcelain.

Why is adding soil out of the question? I don’t really understand what the problem is because it appears from the photo you posted that the patio is pretty level with your existing lawn…

Have them edge it with the same tile that you have or with a contrasting tile. Good Luck!

Your most immediate problem is a safety one--and it is the uneven riser heights on the stairs. That is the big screw-up made by the patio contractor. Hopefully the stair framing is not trapped by concrete. The stairs need to be ripped out and rebuilt with even riser heights.

With the the exception of the curved patio corner, the step off the patio will mostly self remedy. A bit of fill dirt and turf on the one side will cover that edge. Given not all that much time, the level of the turf will be even with the patio and, in a few years, you will be scraping dirt and turf away from the patio edge. Much better to start off with the patio higher than the turf.

The ugly raw edge of the curve does need attention. Parging, perhaps? What does the contractor propose?