The area is made up of the sub-neighbourhoods of Helensvale, Borrowdale Brooke, Philadelphia, Balentien Park, Crowhill Views, Brookeview and Pomona.

[1] The suburb has numerous high-end shopping areas such Sam Levy's Village and Borrowdale Brooke Centre.

[1] Borrow built a dam on the Borrowdale Brooke river in 1892 – the first in Rhodesia – and started to grow a variety of crops for the nascent town.

During the twentieth century, Borrowdale became a wealthy suburb; a then wooded, residential enclave dotted with many green spaces.

The neighbourhood is situated at a higher altitude than areas to the south with a number of gently rolling hills, parks, and the Borrowdale Brooke stream.

The majority of residents in this neighborhood own several properties either abroad or in rural parts of the country such as, the Mazowe Valley, Mashonaland East and the scenic Eastern Highlands region near Mutare.

Since the late 2000s, the area has become the leading destination for non-resident Zimbabwean and foreign buyers, driving up prices far beyond average incomes and accessible to only the wealthiest of local residents.

[6] Throughout the 20th century, the concentration of wealth in Borrowdale sparked the growth of many prestigious public and private schools in and around the neighborhood.

[7] Other amenities include, a half Olympic swimming pool, cricket grounds, refurbished tennis courts, and acres of green space.

Borrowdale is also home to St. John's College, which has produced a disproportionate number of the country's cricket and rugby players, through its high school teams known as the Rams.